Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 477: Possessing or selling impressions of tools used for obligations or securities

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Federal law prohibits possessing or selling impressions or images of tools used to make counterfeit obligations or securities with intent to defraud. Violation carries a fine and/or imprisonment up to 25 years.

Read the full statutory text

Whoever, with intent to defraud, possesses, keeps, safeguards, or controls, without authority from the United States, any imprint, stamp, analog, digital, or electronic image, or impression, taken or made upon any substance or material whatsoever, of any tool, implement, instrument or thing, used, fitted or intended to be used, for any of the purposes mentioned in section 476 of this title ; or Whoever, with intent to defraud, sells, gives, or delivers any such imprint, stamp, analog, digital, or electronic image, or impression to any other person— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 25 years, or both.

Verify at the official source: Federal legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.