§ 1025. — False pretenses on high seas and other waters.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC1025]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 47--FRAUD AND FALSE STATEMENTS
Sec. 1025. False pretenses on high seas and other waters
Whoever, upon any waters or vessel within the special maritime and
territorial jurisdiction of the United States, by any fraud, or false
pretense, obtains from any person anything of value, or procures the
execution and delivery of any instrument of writing or conveyance of
real or personal property, or the signature of any person, as maker,
endorser, or guarantor, to or upon any bond, bill, receipt, promissory
note, draft, or check, or any other evidence of indebtedness, or
fraudulently sells, barters, or disposes of any bond, bill, receipt,
promissory note, draft, or check, or other evidence of indebtedness, for
value, knowing the same to be worthless, or knowing the signature of the
maker, endorser, or guarantor thereof to have been obtained by any false
pretenses, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than
five years, or both; but if the amount, value or the face value of
anything so obtained does not exceed $1,000, he shall be fined under
this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 755; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, Sec. 22,
63 Stat. 92; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(H), (K),
Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104-294, title VI, Sec. 606(a),
Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3511.)
Historical and Revision Notes
1948 Act
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 467a (Mar. 4, 1909, ch.
321, Sec. 288A, as added Aug. 5, 1939, ch. 434, 53 Stat. 1205).
Words ``upon any waters or vessel within the special maritime and
territorial jurisdiction of the United States'' were substituted for
``upon the high seas or on any waters within the admiralty and maritime
jurisdiction of the United States and out of the jurisdiction of any
particular State, or within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of
the United States and out of the jurisdiction of any particular State on
board any vessel belonging in whole or in part to the United States or
any citizen thereof or to any corporation created by or under the laws
of the United States, or of any State, Territory, or District thereof'',
near beginning of section. The deleted words are not necessary in view
of definitive section 7 of this title.
Words ``whatsoever with intent to defraud'' were omitted as being
included in the preceding term ``false pretenses''.
The punishment provision was revised to include a misdemeanor
punishment (not more than $1,000 or one year, or both) where the offense
involves $100 or less. (See reviser's notes under sections 641 and 645
of this title.)
1949 Act
This section [section 22] corrects a typographical error in section
1025 of title 18, U.S.C.
Amendments
1996--Pub. L. 104-294 substituted ``$1,000'' for ``$100''.
1994--Pub. L. 103-322 substituted ``fined under this title'' for
``fined not more than $5,000'' after ``pretenses, shall be'' and for
``fined not more than $1,000'' after ``he shall be''.
1949--Act May 24, 1949, corrected spelling of ``pretense''.
