                 TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
     CHAPTER 15--CLAIMS AND SERVICES IN MATTERS AFFECTING GOVERNMENT
 
Sec. 285. Taking or using papers relating to claims

    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.

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


                      Historical and Revision Notes

    Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 92 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, 
Sec. 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.


                               Amendments

    1994--Pub. L. 103-322 substituted ``fined under this title'' for 
``fined not more than $5,000''.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in title 22 section 3622.
