False pretenses on high seas and other waters
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, upon any waters or vessel within the , 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 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 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 755 (PDF, 39 MB); May 24, 1949, ch. 139, §22, 63 Stat. 92 (PDF, 5.2 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(H), (K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB); Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §606(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3511.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to use fraud or lies to get money, property, or someone's signature on a financial document while on waters or ships under special U.S. jurisdiction (such as the high seas). It is also a crime there to sell checks, notes, or similar papers knowing they are worthless or that the signatures were obtained by lies.