18 U.S. Code § 668 - Theft of major artwork

(a) Definitions.—

In this section—

(1) “museum” means an organized and permanent institution, the activities of which affect interstate or foreign commerce, that—

(A) is situated in the United States;

(B) is established for an essentially educational or aesthetic purpose;

(C) has a professional staff; and

(D) owns, utilizes, and cares for tangible objects that are exhibited to the public on a regular schedule.

(2) “object of cultural heritage” means an object that is—

(A) over 100 years old and worth in excess of $5,000; or

(B) worth at least $100,000.

(b) Offenses.—

A person who—

(1) steals or obtains by fraud from the care, custody, or control of a museum any object of cultural heritage; or

(2) knowing that an object of cultural heritage has been stolen or obtained by fraud, if in fact the object was stolen or obtained from the care, custody, or control of a museum (whether or not that fact is known to the person), receives, conceals, exhibits, or disposes of the object,

shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.

(Added Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXII, § 320902(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2123; amended Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 604(b)(18), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3507.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–294 designated first and second pars. beginning with quotation mark as pars. (1) and (2), respectively, and made technical amendment to provisions appearing in original.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–294 effective Sept. 13, 1994, see section 604(d) of Pub. L. 104–294, set out as a note under section 13 of this title.