§ 1021
Title records
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, being an officer or other person authorized by any law of the United States to record a conveyance of real property or any other instrument which by such law may be recorded, knowingly certifies falsely that such conveyance or instrument has or has not been recorded, shall be or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 754 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for an official authorized by federal law to record property deeds or other documents to knowingly certify falsely that a document was or was not recorded.