§ 285. Taking or using papers relating to claims

Statutory text

Whoever, without authority, takes and carries away from the place where it was filed, deposited, or kept by authority of the United States, any certificate, affidavit, deposition, statement of facts, power of attorney, receipt, voucher, assignment, or other document, record, file, or paper prepared, fitted, or intended to be used or presented to procure the payment of money from or by the United States or any officer, employee, or agent thereof, or the allowance or payment of the whole or any part of any claim, account, or demand against the United States, whether the same has or has not already been so used or presented, and whether such claim, account, or demand, or any part thereof has or has not already been allowed or paid; or

Whoever presents, uses, or attempts to use any such document, record, file, or paper so taken and carried away, to procure the payment of any money from or by the United States, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof, or the allowance or payment of the whole or any part of any claim, account, or demand against the United States—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

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.

1948
Pub. L. 80–645 · 62 Stat. 683
Enacted · 18 U.S.C. § 285
June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 698
Source evidence
Code source credit
June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 698
1994
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. § 285
Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”
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”;

1 of 2 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 1 partial

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 92 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 40, 35 Stat. 1096).

Word “employee” was inserted after “officer” in two places to clarify scope of section.

The words “five years” were substituted for “ten years” in the punishment provision to conform to like provisions in similar offenses. (See section 1001 of this title.)

Changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.

Credits

1948–1994 · 2 acts

1948June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 698
1994Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.

Show as published

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 698; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)