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Title 21, Food and DrugsRelease 119-102

§622 Bribery of or Gifts to Inspectors or Other Officers and Acceptance of Gifts

Title 21 › CHAPTER 12 — MEAT INSPECTION › SUBCHAPTER I — INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS; ADULTERATION AND MISBRANDING › § 622

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

People and businesses must not give, offer, or pay money, gifts, or anything of value to federal inspectors or other government employees who carry out duties under this chapter if the goal is to influence their official actions. Giving or trying to give such things is a felony. If convicted, the giver faces a fine of $5,000 to $10,000 and 1 to 3 years in prison. Federal inspectors and other authorized employees must not accept money, gifts, or anything of value from someone trying to influence them. They also must not accept anything from a person or business engaged in commerce, no matter the purpose. If convicted, the employee will be fired and face a fine of $1,000 to $10,000 and 1 to 3 years in prison.

Full Legal Text

Title 21, §622

Food and Drugs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any person, firm, or corporation, or any agent or employee of any person, firm, or corporation, who shall give, pay, or offer, directly or indirectly, to any inspector, deputy inspector, chief inspector, or any other officer or employee of the United States authorized to perform any of the duties prescribed by this chapter or by the rules and regulations of the Secretary any money or other thing of value, with intent to influence said inspector, deputy inspector, chief inspector, or other officer or employee of the United States in the discharge of any duty provided for in this chapter, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not less than $5,000 nor more than $10,000 and by imprisonment not less than one year nor more than three years; and any inspector, deputy inspector, chief inspector, or other officer or employee of the United States authorized to perform any of the duties prescribed by this chapter who shall accept any money, gift, or other thing of value from any person, firm, or corporation, or officers, agents, or employees thereof, given with intent to influence his official action, or who shall receive or accept from any person, firm, or corporation engaged in commerce any gift, money, or other thing of value, given with any purpose or intent whatsoever, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and shall, upon conviction thereof, be summarily discharged from office and shall be punished by a fine not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 and by imprisonment not less than one year nor more than three years.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 90 of this title.

Amendments

1967—Pub. L. 90–201, § 3, struck out “interstate or foreign” before “commerce” and “of Agriculture” after “Secretary”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1967 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 90–201 effective Dec. 15, 1967, except that with respect to equines (other than horses) and their carcasses and parts thereof, meat, and meat food products thereof, amendment effective upon expiration of sixty days after Dec. 15, 1967, see section 20(b) of Pub. L. 90–201, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 601 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

21 U.S.C. § 622

Title 21, Food and Drugs

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102