18 U.S.C. § 507 – Forgery of Ship’s Papers or Vessel Documentation
This law makes it a federal crime to forge or use forged vessel documentation or customs-issued ship papers with intent to defraud.
This statute targets fraud involving official vessel documentation and customs-issued ship papers granted under the authority of the United States.
It applies to both the creation of false or altered instruments that purport to be official vessel or customs documents and the knowing use or attempted use of such documents as true.
What the law prohibits.
A person violates this statute if they knowingly and with intent to defraud:
- Falsely make, forge, counterfeit, or alter any instrument in imitation of or purporting to be an abstract, official copy, or certificate of the documentation of any vessel
- Falsely make, forge, counterfeit, or alter a certificate of ownership, pass, or clearance granted for any vessel under the authority of the United States
- Falsely make, forge, counterfeit, or alter a permit, debenture, or other official document granted by an officer of the customs by virtue of that office
- Utter, publish, pass, or attempt to utter, publish, or pass as true any such false, forged, counterfeited, or falsely altered instrument, abstract, official copy, certificate, pass, clearance, permit, debenture, or other official document, knowing it to be false, forged, counterfeited, or falsely altered
Penalties.
A person convicted under this statute shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
If you’re being investigated or charged under a federal ship’s papers forgery statute, call (314) 900-HELP or contact our criminal defense attorneys to discuss your options.
