Court officers generally
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, being a United States marshal, clerk, receiver, referee, trustee, or other officer of a United States court, or any deputy, assistant, or employee of any such officer, retains or converts to his own use or to the use of another or after demand by the party entitled thereto, unlawfully retains any money coming into his hands by virtue of his official relation, position or employment, is guilty of embezzlement and shall, where the offense is not otherwise punishable by enactment of Congress, be or not more than double the value of the money so embezzled, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; but if the amount embezzled does not exceed $1,000, he shall be or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
It shall not be a defense that the accused person had any interest in such moneys or fund.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 726 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(H), (2)(G), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB), 2148; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §606(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3511.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal embezzlement crime for a federal court officer (such as a marshal, clerk, trustee, or their staff) to keep or use for themselves or someone else money they receive through their job, or to refuse to turn it over when asked.