Forging endorsements on Treasury checks or bonds or securities of the United States
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
(a) Whoever, with intent to defraud—
(1) falsely makes or forges any endorsement or signature on a Treasury check or bond or security of the United States; or
(2) passes, utters, or publishes, or to pass, utter, or publish, any Treasury check or bond or security of the United States bearing a falsely made or forged endorsement or signature;
shall be or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
(b) Whoever, with knowledge that such Treasury check or bond or security of the United States is stolen or bears a falsely made or forged endorsement or signature buys, sells, exchanges, receives, delivers, retains, or conceals any such Treasury check or bond or security of the United States shall be or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
(c) If the face value of the Treasury check or bond or security of the United States or the aggregate face value, if more than one Treasury check or bond or security of the United States, does not exceed $1,000, in any of the above-mentioned offenses, the penalty shall be a or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
History: (Added Pub. L. 98–151, §115(a), Nov. 14, 1983, 97 Stat. 976 (PDF, 3.3 MB); amended Pub. L. 101–647, title XXXV, §3514, Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4923 (PDF, 27 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(H), (L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB); Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §§602(e), 606(b), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3503, 3511; Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, §4002(a)(1), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1806.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to forge a signature or endorsement (the signature on the back) on a U.S. Treasury check, bond, or security with intent to cheat, or to cash or pass one that has a forged signature. It is also a crime to knowingly buy, sell, keep, or hide such a check or security that is stolen or forged.