Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60
§652 Disbursing Officer Paying Lesser in Lieu of Lawful Amount
Title 18 › Part I— CRIMES › Chapter 31— EMBEZZLEMENT AND THEFT › § 652
Summary
Anyone who handles government payments and pays a worker less than the law requires but makes them sign for a larger amount steals it and faces a federal fine or twice the amount taken, up to 2 years in prison (if $1,000 or less, up to 1 year).
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §652
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, being an officer, clerk, agent, employee, or other person charged with the payment of any appropriation made by Congress, pays to any clerk or other employee of the United States, or of any department or agency thereof, a sum less than that provided by law, and requires such employee to receipt or give a voucher for an amount greater than that actually paid to and received by him, is guilty of embezzlement, and shall be fined under this title or in double the amount so withheld, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not more than two years, or both; but if the amount embezzled is $1,000 or less, he shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 172 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 86, 35 Stat. 1105). Words “or of any department or agency thereof,” were inserted after “United States” so as to eliminate any possible ambiguity as to scope of section. (See definitive section 6 of this title.) Mandatory punishment provision made in alternative. The smaller punishment for an offense involving $100 or less was added. (See reviser’s note under section 641, 645 of this title.) Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1996—Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “$1,000” for “$100”. 1994—Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(2)(G), substituted “shall be fined under this title or in double the amount so withheld, whichever is greater, or imprisoned” for “shall be fined in double the amount so withheld or imprisoned”. Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(H), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” after “he shall be”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 652
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60