Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Part I · Chapter 9 — Bankruptcy
§ 153. Embezzlement against estate
Statutory text
Offense.—
A person described in subsection (b) who knowingly and fraudulently appropriates to the person’s own use, embezzles, spends, or transfers any property or secretes or destroys any document belonging to the estate of a debtor shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
Person to Whom Section Applies.—
A person described in this subsection is one who has access to property or documents belonging to an estate by virtue of the person’s participation in the administration of the estate as a trustee, custodian, marshal, attorney, or other officer of the court or as an agent, employee, or other person engaged by such an officer to perform a service with respect to the estate.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Pub. L. 80–645 · 62 Stat. 683
Enacted · 18 U.S.C. § 153
June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 690
Source evidence
Code source credit
June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 690Pub. L. 95–598 title III § 314(a)(1) · 92 Stat. 2549
Struck · 18 U.S.C. § 153
Pub. L. 95–598 struck out “, receiver” after “trustee” in section catchline and in text struck out “receiver,” before “custodian”
Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 153
Pub. L. 95–598 substituted “debtor” for “bankrupt”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 95–598 struck out “, receiver” after “trustee” in section catchline and in text struck out “receiver,” before “custodian” and substituted “debtor” for “bankrupt”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(1) by striking out “bankrupt” each place it appears and inserting “debtor” in lieu thereof;Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994
Pub. L. 103–322 title XXXIII § 330016(1)(K) · 108 Stat. 1796
Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 153
Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”
Target inherited from the preceding amendment note.
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(K) in sections 35, 81, 112, 152, 153, 155, 212, 213, 214, 285, 334, 351, 435, 436, 438, 471, 472, 473, 476, 477, 478, 481, 485, 487, 488, 497, 498, 505, 506, 508, 509, 541, 542, 543, 544, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551, 552, 592, 593, 602, 603, 606, 607, 642, 655, 658, 659, 660, 661, 663, 751, 799, 844, 872, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 914, 915, 924, 953, 954, 956, 1004, 1010, 1011, 1015, 1017, 1025, 1028, 1071, 1073, 1074, 1163, 1169, 1231, 1265, 1363, 1421, 1422, 1423, 1424, 1425, 1426, 1427, 1428, 1429, 1461, 1462, 1463, 1465, 1503, 1505, 1506, 1507, 1510, 1581, 1582, 1583, 1584, 1585, 1588, 1658, 1659, 1717, 1732, 1735, 1737, 1751, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1915, 1991, 2072, 2073, 2113, 2217, 2152, 2197, 2231, 2244, 2314, 2316, 2317, 2344, and 2701 by striking “not more than $5,000” each place it appears and inserting “under this title”;Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1994
Pub. L. 103–394 title III § 312(a)(1)(A) · 108 Stat. 4106
Amended · 18 U.S.C. § 153
Pub. L. 103–394 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “Whoever knowingly and fraudulently appropriates to his own use, embezzles, spends, or transfers any property or secretes or destroys any document belonging to the estate of a debtor which came into his charge as trustee, custodian, marshal, or other officer of the court, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 103–394 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “Whoever knowingly and fraudulently appropriates to his own use, embezzles, spends, or transfers any property or secretes or destroys any document belonging to the estate of a debtor which came into his charge as trustee, custodian, marshal, or other officer of the court, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”Enacted provision · exact public law section
(A) by amending sections 152, 153, and 154 to read as follows: “§ 152. Concealment of assets; false oaths and claims; bribery “A person who— “(1) knowingly and fraudulently conceals from a custodian, trustee, marshal, or other officer of the court charged with the control or custody of property, or, in connection with a case under title 11, from creditors or the United States Trustee, any property belonging to the estate of a debtor; “(2) knowingly and fraudulently makes a false oath or account in or in relation to any case under title 11; “(3) knowingly and fraudulently makes a false declaration, certificate, verification, or statement under penalty of perjury as permitted under section 1746 of title 28, in or in relation to any case under title 11; “(4) knowingly and fraudulently presents any false claim for proof against the estate of a debtor, or uses any such claim in any case under title 11, in a personal capacity or as or through an agent, proxy, or attorney; “(5) knowingly and fraudulently receives any material amount of property from a debtor after the filing of a case under title 11, with intent to defeat the provisions of title 11; “(6) knowingly and fraudulently gives, offers, receives, or attempts to obtain any money or property, remuneration, compensation, reward, advantage, or promise thereof for acting or forbearing to act in any case under title 11; “(7) in a personal capacity or as an agent or officer of any person or corporation, in contemplation of a case under title 11 by or against the person or any other person or corporation, or with intent to defeat the provisions of title 11, knowingly and fraudulently transfers or conceals any of his property or the property of such other person or corporation; “(8) after the filing of a case under title 11 or in contemplation thereof, knowingly and fraudulently conceals, destroys, mutilates, falsifies, or makes a false entry in any recorded information (including books, documents, records, and papers) relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor; or “(9) after the filing of a case under title 11, knowingly and fraudulently withholds from a custodian, trustee, marshal, or other officer of the court or a United States Trustee entitled to its possession, any recorded information (including books, documents, records, and papers) relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor, shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. “§ 153. Embezzlement against estate “(a) Offense.— A person described in subsection (b) who knowingly and fraudulently appropriates to the person’s own use, embezzles, spends, or transfers any property or secretes or destroys any document belonging to the estate of a debtor shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. “(b) Person to Whom Section Applies.— A person described in this subsection is one who has access to property or documents belonging to an estate by virtue of the person’s participation in the administration of the estate as a trustee, custodian, marshal, attorney, or other officer of the court or as an agent, employee, or other person engaged by such an officer to perform a service with respect to the estate. “§ 154. Adverse interest and conduct of officers A person who, being a custodian, trustee, marshal, or other officer of the court— “(1) knowingly purchases, directly or indirectly, any property of the estate of which the person is such an officer in a case under title 11; “(2) knowingly refuses to permit a reasonable opportunity for the inspection by parties in interest of the documents and accounts relating to the affairs of estates in the person’s charge by parties when directed by the court to do so; or “(3) knowingly refuses to permit a reasonable opportunity for the inspection by the United States Trustee of the docu-ments and accounts relating to the affairs of an estate in the person’s charge, shall be fined not more than $5,000 and shall forfeit the person’s office, which shall thereupon become vacant.”; andEffective date note
Amendment by Pub. L. 103–394 effective Oct. 22, 1994, and not applicable with respect to cases commenced under Title 11, Bankruptcy, before Oct. 22, 1994, see section 702 of Pub. L. 103–394, set out as a note under section 101 of Title 11.Economic Espionage Act of 1996
Pub. L. 104–294 title VI § 601(a)(1) · 110 Stat. 3488
Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 153(a)
Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(1) Sections 152, 153, 154, and 610 of title 18, United States Code, are each amended by striking “fined not more than $5,000” and inserting “fined under this title”.
5 of 6 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 1 partial
Notes
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on section 52(a) of title 11, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Bankruptcy (July 1, 1898, ch. 541, § 29a, 30 Stat. 554; May 27, 1926, ch. 406, § 11 (part), 44 Stat. 665; June 22, 1938, ch. 575, § 1 (part), 52 Stat. 855).
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments1978–1996 · 3 rounds
1996
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
1994
Pub. L. 103–394 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “Whoever knowingly and fraudulently appropriates to his own use, embezzles, spends, or transfers any property or secretes or destroys any document belonging to the estate of a debtor which came into his charge as trustee, custodian, marshal, or other officer of the court, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”
Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
1978
Pub. L. 95–598 struck out “, receiver” after “trustee” in section catchline and in text struck out “receiver,” before “custodian” and substituted “debtor” for “bankrupt”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 103–394 effective , and not applicable with respect to cases commenced under Title 11, Bankruptcy, before , see section 702 of Pub. L. 103–394, set out as a note under section 101 of Title 11.
Effective Date of 1978 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 95–598 effective , see section 402(a) of Pub. L. 95–598, set out as an Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 11, Bankruptcy.
Savings Provision
Amendment by section 314 of Pub. L. 95–598 not to affect the application of chapter 9 (§ 151 et seq.), chapter 96 (§ 1961 et seq.), or section 2516, 3057, or 3284 of this title to any act of any person (1) committed before , or (2) committed after , in connection with a case commenced before such date, see section 403(d) of Pub. L. 95–598, set out as a note preceding section 101 of Title 11, Bankruptcy.
Credits
1948–1996 · 5 acts
- 1948June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 690
- 1978Pub. L. 95–598, title III, § 314(a)(1), (d)(1), (2), , 92 Stat. 2676, 2677
- 1994Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), , 108 Stat. 2147
- 1994Pub. L. 103–394, title III, § 312(a)(1)(A), , 108 Stat. 4139
- 1996Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(1), , 110 Stat. 3497.
Show as published
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 690; Pub. L. 95–598, title III, § 314(a)(1), (d)(1), (2), , 92 Stat. 2676, 2677; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), , 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 103–394, title III, § 312(a)(1)(A), , 108 Stat. 4139; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(1), , 110 Stat. 3497.)