18 U.S.C. § 497 – Forgery of Letters Patent
This law makes it a federal crime to forge or falsify letters patent issued by the United States.
This statute applies to the forgery, counterfeiting, or false alteration of letters patent—official documents issued by the United States that grant rights, authority, or privileges. Historically, letters patent have been used to convey government-granted rights, titles, offices, or permissions, or letters patent granted, or purporting to have been granted, by the President of the United States.
The focus of this law is protecting the authenticity of official federal grants and preventing individuals from falsely claiming authority or privileges issued by the United States.
What the law prohibits.
A person violates this statute if they knowingly:
- Falsely make, forge, counterfeit, or alter any letter patent of the United States
- Use, pass, or attempt to use a forged or altered letter patent as genuine
The offense applies whether the forged document is used to claim authority, status, or any benefit associated with the purported grant.
Penalties.
A conviction under this statute can result in a fine, imprisonment in federal prison for up to 10 years, or both.
If you are under investigation or facing charges involving forged federal documents or claims of false authority, call (314) 900-HELP or contact our criminal defense attorneys to discuss your defense options.
