{"id":352066,"date":"2023-09-08T11:01:10","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T16:01:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/false-statements.html"},"modified":"2023-09-08T11:01:10","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T16:01:10","slug":"false-statements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/false-statements.html","title":{"rendered":"False Statements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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False Statements<\/h1>\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Lying to the government can be a serious crime. It is illegal to make a false statement in an investigation, tax filing, court hearing, or another government process. But this crime has a specific legal definition. <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

Making false statements to federal officials is a\u00a0crime against the government<\/a>. Like the crime of\u00a0perjury<\/a>, the false statements offense undermines the functions of government.<\/p>\r\n

This article focuses on the federal law prohibiting the willful making of false statements to federal officials. It discusses the elements of the offense and common penalties. Talk to a defense attorney<\/a> about your options in a particular case.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Example of a Criminal False Statements Case\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n

Successful businesswoman and TV celebrity Martha Stewart put a substantial portion of her wealth into the stock market. Her holdings included shares in the cancer drug company ImClone Systems Inc. (now a part of Eli Lilly and Co.).\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

At the end of 2001, she sold ImClone stock after allegedly receiving inside information that the company’s CEO was dumping all his stock. Federal agents conducted a criminal investigation into\u00a0securities fraud<\/a>\u00a0and questioned Stewart. The government stated that Stewart lied about receiving (and acting upon) this inside information.<\/p>\r\n

In 2004, a jury convicted Stewart of making false statements to federal officials (among other felony charges). The criminal case went to trial in federal court. The court sentenced her to five months in a minimum-security federal prison, followed by five months of home confinement and two years on probation.<\/p>\r\n

False Statements and the United States Code<\/h2>\r\n

The code section criminalizing untrue statements to federal officials can be found at\u00a018 U.S.C. \u00a7 1001<\/a>. It makes providing false information to a government agent a federal crime. The law states that\u00a0"whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully"<\/i>\u00a0does any of the following has committed a criminal offense:<\/p>\r\n