§ 5905. — Penalty for certain acts.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 38USC5905]
TITLE 38--VETERANS' BENEFITS
PART IV--GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 59--AGENTS AND ATTORNEYS
Sec. 5905. Penalty for certain acts
Whoever (1) directly or indirectly solicits, contracts for, charges,
or receives, or attempts to solicit, contract for, charge, or receive,
any fee or compensation except as provided in sections 5904 or 1984 of
this title, or (2) wrongfully withholds from any claimant or beneficiary
any part of a benefit or claim allowed and due to the claimant or
beneficiary, shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not
more than one year, or both.
(Pub. L. 85-857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1239, Sec. 3405; Pub. L. 99-
576, title VII, Sec. 701(81), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3298; Pub. L.
100-687, div. A, title I, Sec. 104(b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4109;
renumbered Sec. 5905 and amended Pub. L. 102-40, title IV,
Sec. 402(b)(1), (d)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238, 239; Pub. L. 102-83,
Sec. 5(c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406.)
Amendments
1991--Pub. L. 102-40 renumbered section 3405 of this title as this
section and substituted ``5904'' for ``3404''.
Pub. L. 102-83 substituted ``1984'' for ``784''.
1988--Pub. L. 100-687 substituted ``shall be fined as provided in
title 18, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both'' for ``shall be
fined not more than $500 or imprisoned at hard labor for not more than
two years, or both''.
1986--Pub. L. 99-576 substituted ``to the claimant or beneficiary''
for ``him''.
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 100-687 effective Sept. 1, 1989, see section
401(a) of Pub. L. 100-687, set out as an Effective Date note under
section 7251 of this title.
