                 TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
                   CHAPTER 73--OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
 
Sec. 1518. Obstruction of criminal investigations of health care 
        offenses
        
    (a) Whoever willfully prevents, obstructs, misleads, delays or 
attempts to prevent, obstruct, mislead, or delay the communication of 
information or records relating to a violation of a Federal health care 
offense to a criminal investigator shall be fined under this title or 
imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
    (b) As used in this section the term ``criminal investigator'' means 
any individual duly authorized by a department, agency, or armed force 
of the United States to conduct or engage in investigations for 
prosecutions for violations of health care offenses.

(Added Pub. L. 104-191, title II, Sec. 245(a), Aug. 21, 1996, 110 Stat. 
2017.)

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 24 of this title.
