18 U.S.C. § 500

Money orders

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Whoever, with intent to defraud, falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, engraves, or prints any order in imitation of or purporting to be a blank money order or a money order issued by or under the direction of the Post Office Department or Postal Service; or

Whoever forges or counterfeits the signature or initials of any person authorized to issue money orders upon or to any money order, postal note, or blank therefor provided or issued by or under the direction of the Post Office Department or Postal Service, or post office department or corporation of any foreign country, and payable in the United States, or any material signature or indorsement thereon, or any material signature to any receipt or certificate of identification thereof; or

Whoever falsely alters, in any material respect, any such money order or postal note; or

Whoever, with intent to defraud, passes, utters or publishes or attempts to pass, utter or publish any such forged or altered money order or postal note, knowing any material initials, signature, stamp impression or indorsement thereon to be false, forged, or counterfeited, or any material alteration therein to have been falsely made; or

Whoever issues any money order or postal note without having previously received or paid the full amount of money payable therefor, with the purpose of fraudulently obtaining or receiving, or fraudulently enabling any other person, either directly or indirectly, to obtain or receive from the United States or Postal Service, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof, any sum of money whatever; or

Whoever embezzles, steals, or knowingly converts to his own use or to the use of another, or without authority converts or disposes of any blank money order form provided by or under the authority of the Post Office Department or Postal Service; or

Whoever receives or possesses any such money order form with the intent to convert it to his own use or gain or use or gain of another knowing it to have been embezzled, stolen or converted; or

Whoever, with intent to defraud the United States, the Postal Service, or any person, transmits, presents, or causes to be transmitted or presented, any money order or postal note knowing the same—

(1) to contain any forged or counterfeited signature, initials, or any stamped impression, or

(2) to contain any material alteration therein unlawfully made, or

(3) to have been unlawfully issued without previous payment of the amount required to be paid upon such issue, or

(4) to have been stamped without lawful authority; or

Whoever steals, or with intent to defraud or without being lawfully authorized by the Post Office Department or Postal Service, receives, possesses, disposes of or attempts to dispose of any postal money order machine or any stamp, tool, or instrument specifically designed to be used in preparing or filling out the blanks on postal money order forms—

Shall be fined under this title 11 See 1994 Amendment note below. or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 178 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1951–2023 · leading case: United States v. J. W. Prewitt, 553 F.2d 1082 (7th Cir. 1977).

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United States v. J. W. Prewitt, 553 F.2d 1082 (7th Cir. 1977). · cites it 5× “Prewitt appeals his conviction by a jury for intentionally passing an altered postal money order in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 500 . * He also *1085 challenges the district court’s actions in twice citing him for contempt and sentencing him to six months’ imprisonment for each…”

United States v. Robert Earl Hines, 728 F.2d 421 (10th Cir. 1984). · cites it 11× “§ 1708 (1982) Count IV: Stealing approximately 800 blank United States Postal Money Order forms in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 500 (1982); Count V: Stealing a United States Postal Money Order imprinter Serial No.”

United States v. Robert Earl Dowd, 451 F.3d 1244 (11th Cir. 2006). · cites it 2× “§§ 2 and 924(e)(1)(A); unlawful conversion of thirteen postal money orders, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 500 ; and felony possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.”

United States v. Latroy D. Ray, Johnny Lee May, & Boyd McChristion, 828 F.2d 399 (7th Cir. 1987). · cites it 3× “The prosecutor stated that in showing that Ray violated 18 U.S.C. § 500 , the government would have to prove that a postal money order had been forged or materially altered, that Ray knew it had been forged or materially altered, and that Ray either actually did transport, or…”

United States v. Morgan, 346 U.S. 502 (1954). · cites it 2× “§ 347 (now 18 U. S. C. § 500 ). The sentences ran concurrently and were fully served by respondent, during which time he never questioned their validity.”

United States Postal Serv. v. Am. Postal Workers Union, Afl-Cio, 736 F.2d 822 (1st Cir. 1984). · cites it 3× “Cote signed a confession, was indicted, and subsequently pled guilty to a charge of embezzling postal funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 500 . Cote received a one year suspended sentence and was put on probation for two years, in addition to being ordered to make full restitution…”

United States v. Charles Barnhart, 980 F.2d 219 (3rd Cir. 1992). · cites it 3× “On Count 1, “Altering, Passing, Uttering, and Publishing Forged and Altered United States Postal Service Money Orders in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 500 ,” Barnhart was placed on probation for a five year period to run consecutively to the sentence imposed on Count 3.”

United States v. Larry Weaver & Mark Schmanke, United States of Am. v. Everett Decker, Jerald Jessup & Michael Bailey, 882 F.2d 1128 (7th Cir. 1989). · cites it 2× “18 U.S.C. § 500 prohibits any person from transmitting, presenting or causing to be transmitted or presented any money order which has been materially altered if that person has an intent to defraud.”

United States v. William Gaddis & Barnetta Gaddis, 877 F.2d 605 (7th Cir. 1989). · cites it 4× “§ 371 and seven counts of postal money order alteration in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 500 . A jury found them guilty on all eight counts.”

United States v. Donald R. White, 174 F.3d 290 (2d Cir. 1999). · cites it 3× “§§ 1344 1 and 2, 2 and one count of passing an altered United States Postal Service money order, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 500 3 and 2. The district court sentenced White primarily' to imprisonment for 30 months and to three years of supervised release, and imposed…”

Trevor Drakes v. Charles W. Zimski, Acting Dir. of Immigr. & Naturalization Serv. Janet Reno, Attorney Gen., 240 F.3d 246 (3rd Cir. 2001). “§ 482 (prohibiting forgery of foreign bank notes “with intent to defraud”); 18 U.S.C. § 500 (prohibiting forgery of postal service money orders “with intent to defraud”).”

United States v. George William Blood (04-5101) & Stephen L. Crittenden (04-5261), 435 F.3d 612 (6th Cir. 2006). “See 18 U.S.C. § 500 (“[wjhoever embezzles, steals, or knowingly converts to his own use or to the use of another .”

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