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Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Part I · Chapter 31 — Embezzlement and Theft

§ 646. Court officers depositing registry moneys

Statutory text

Whoever, being a clerk or other officer of a court of the United States, fails to deposit promptly any money belonging in the registry of the court, or paid into court or received by the officers thereof, with the Treasurer or a designated depositary of the United States, in the name and to the credit of such court, or retains or converts to his own use or to the use of another any such money, is guilty of embezzlement and shall be fined under this title or not more than the amount embezzled, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; but if the amount embezzled does not exceed $1,000, he shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

This section shall not prevent the delivery of any such money upon security, according to agreement of parties, under the direction of the court.

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.

  1. Pub. L. 80–645 · 62 Stat. 683

    Enacted · 18 U.S.C. § 646

    June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 726

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 726

  2. Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994

    Pub. L. 103–322 § 330016(2)(H) · 108 Stat. 1796

    Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 646

    Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(2)(H), substituted “shall be fined under this title or not more than the amount embezzled, whichever is greater, or imprisoned” for “shall be fined not more than the amount embezzled, or imprisoned”

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(2)(H), substituted “shall be fined under this title or not more than the amount embezzled, whichever is greater, or imprisoned” for “shall be fined not more than the amount embezzled, or imprisoned”.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (H) in sections 646 and 654 by inserting “under this title or” after “be fined” the first place it appears; and by inserting “whichever is greater,” before “or imprisoned” the first place it appears;

  3. Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994

    Pub. L. 103–322 § 330016(1)(H) · 108 Stat. 1796

    Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 646

    Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(H), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” after “he shall be”

    Target inherited from the preceding amendment note.

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(H), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” after “he shall be”.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (H) in sections 81, 210, 211, 215, 217, 242, 245, 291, 292, 439, 442, 480, 483, 484, 490, 491, 494, 495, 503, 507, 510, 594, 595, 596, 597, 598, 599, 604, 605, 641, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 661, 662, 665, 712, 751, 752, 756, 795, 796, 797, 836, 844, 871, 875, 876, 877, 879, 911, 912, 913, 924, 957, 959, 961, 1003, 1012, 1021, 1025, 1026, 1071, 1112, 1163, 1262, 1263, 1264, 1301, 1302, 1304, 1306, 1341, 1342, 1343, 1361, 1363, 1384, 1504, 1508, 1509, 1657, 1705, 1706, 1707, 1711, 1715, 1716, 1733, 1738, 1761, 1762, 2276, 2277, 2278, 2382, and 2389 by striking “not more than $1,000” each place it appears and inserting “under this title”;

  4. Economic Espionage Act of 1996

    Pub. L. 104–294 title VI § 606(a) · 110 Stat. 3488

    Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 646

    Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “$1,000” for “$100”

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “$1,000” for “$100”.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (a) Sections 215, 288, 641, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 661, 662, 665, 872, 1003, 1025, 1163, 1361, 1707, 1711, and 2113 of title 18, United States Code, are amended by striking “$100” each place it appears and inserting “$1,000”.

3 of 4 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 1 partial

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 185 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 99, 35 Stat. 1106; May 29, 1920, ch. 214, § 1, 41 Stat. 654).

The smaller punishment for an offense involving $100 or less was inserted for the reasons outlined in reviser’s notes to sections 641 and 645 of this title.

Minor changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments1994–1996 · 2 rounds

1996

Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “$1,000” for “$100”.

1994

Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(2)(H), substituted “shall be fined under this title or not more than the amount embezzled, whichever is greater, or imprisoned” for “shall be fined not more than the amount embezzled, 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”.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Functions of all officers of Department of the Treasury, and functions of all agencies and employees of such Department, transferred, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Treasury, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or performance of any of his functions, by any of such officers, agencies, and employees, by Reorg. Plan No. 26 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. , 15 F.R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, 1281, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. The Treasurer of the United States, referred to in this section, is an officer of Department of the Treasury.

Credits

1948–1996 · 3 acts
  1. 1948June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 726
  2. 1994Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), (2)(H), , 108 Stat. 2147, 2148
  3. 1996Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 606(a), , 110 Stat. 3511.
Show as published

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 726; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), (2)(H), , 108 Stat. 2147, 2148; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 606(a), , 110 Stat. 3511.)

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