§ 1002
Possession of false papers to defraud United States
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, knowingly and with intent to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof, possesses any false, altered, forged, or counterfeited writing or document for the purpose of enabling another to obtain from the United States, or from any agency, officer or agent thereof, any sum of money, shall be or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 749 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to knowingly have false, altered, forged, or counterfeit documents with intent to cheat the United States, so that someone else can get money from the government.