19 U.S. Code § 2401f - Fraud and recovery of overpayments

(a) In general

(1) Repayment

If the Secretary, or a court of competent jurisdiction, determines that any person has received any payment under this part to which the person was not entitled, or has expended funds received under this part for a purpose that was not approved by the Secretary, such person shall be liable to repay such amount to the Secretary, except that the Secretary may waive such repayment if the Secretary determines, in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the Secretary, that—

(A) the payment was made without fault on the part of such person; and

(B) requiring such repayment would be contrary to equity and good conscience.

(2) Recovery of overpayment

Unless an overpayment is otherwise recovered, or waived under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall recover the overpayment by deductions from any sums payable to such person under this part.

(b) False statement

A person shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, be ineligible for any further payments under this part—

(1) if the Secretary, or a court of competent jurisdiction, determines that the person—

(A) knowingly has made, or caused another to make, a false statement or representation of a material fact; or

(B) knowingly has failed, or caused another to fail, to disclose a material fact; and

(2) as a result of such false statement or representation, or of such nondisclosure, such person has received any payment under this part to which the person was not entitled.

(c) Notice and determination

Except for overpayments determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, no repayment may be required, and no deduction may be made, under this section until a determination under subsection (a)(1) by the Secretary has been made, notice of the determination and an opportunity for a fair hearing thereon has been given to the person concerned, and the determination has become final.

(d) Payment to Treasury

Any amount recovered under this section shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States.

(e) Penalties

Whoever makes a false statement of a material fact knowing it to be false, or knowingly fails to disclose a material fact, for the purpose of obtaining or increasing for himself or for any other person any payment authorized to be furnished under this part shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.

(Pub. L. 93–618, title II, § 297, as added Pub. L. 107–210, div. A, title I, § 141(a), Aug. 6, 2002, 116 Stat. 952; amended Pub. L. 111–5, div. B, title I, § 1885, Feb. 17, 2009, 123 Stat. 419; Pub. L. 112–40, title II, § 201(b), (c), Oct. 21, 2011, 125 Stat. 403; Pub. L. 114–27, title IV, § 402(b), (c), June 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 374.)

Reversion to Provisions in Effect on January 1, 2014

For reversion, beginning on July 1, 2021, to provisions in effect on Jan. 1, 2014, with certain exceptions and subject to section 406(b) of Pub. L. 114–27, see Codification and Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival notes below.

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section 233 of Pub. L. 112–40, which provided for the Jan. 1, 2014, revival of this section as in effect on Feb. 13, 2011, was repealed by Pub. L. 114–27, title IV, § 402(a), June 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 374, and the provisions of this section, as in effect on Dec. 31, 2013, were temporarily revived, effective June 29, 2015, until July 1, 2021, by Pub. L. 114–27, §§ 402(b), (c), 406. See 2011 and 2015 Amendment notes, Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival notes, and Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival notes below.

Section 1893 of Pub. L. 111–5, which provided for Feb. 13, 2011, termination of amendment by Pub. L. 111–5, was repealed by Pub. L. 112–40, title II, § 201(a), Oct. 21, 2011, 125 Stat. 403, and the provisions of this section, as amended by Pub. L. 111–5 and as in effect on Feb. 12, 2011, were temporarily revived, effective Oct. 21, 2011, until Jan. 1, 2014, by Pub. L. 112–40, §§ 201(b), (c), 233. See 2009 and 2011 Amendment notes, Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 Amendment notes, and Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival notes below.

Amendments

2015—Pub. L. 114–27, §§ 402(b), (c), 406, temporarily revived the provisions of this section, as in effect on Dec. 31, 2013. See Codification note above and 2011 Amendment and Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival notes below.

2011—Pub. L. 112–40, §§ 201(b), (c), 233, temporarily revived the provisions of this section, as in effect on Feb. 12, 2011. See Codification note above and 2009 Amendment and Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival notes below.

2009—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–5, §§ 1885, 1893, temporarily inserted “or has expended funds received under this part for a purpose that was not approved by the Secretary,” after “entitled,” in introductory provisions. See Codification note above and Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 Amendment note below.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival

For revival and applicability, beginning on June 29, 2015, of the provisions of this section as in effect on Dec. 31, 2013, see section 402(b), (c) of Pub. L. 114–27, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title.

For reversion, beginning on July 1, 2021, to the provisions of this section as in effect on Jan. 1, 2014, with certain exceptions and subject to section 406(b) of Pub. L. 114–27, see section 406 of Pub. L. 114–27, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title.

Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival

For revival and applicability, beginning on Oct. 21, 2011, of the provisions of this section as in effect on Feb. 12, 2011, see section 201(b), (c) of Pub. L. 112–40, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title.

Section 233 of Pub. L. 112–40, formerly set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title, which provided for the reversion, beginning on Jan. 1, 2014, of the provisions of this section to those in effect on Feb. 13, 2011, subject to certain exceptions, was repealed by Pub. L. 114–27, title IV, § 402(a), June 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 374, effective June 29, 2015. See Codification note above.

Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 Amendment

Except as otherwise provided and subject to certain applicability provisions, amendment by Pub. L. 111–5 effective upon the expiration of the 90-day period beginning on Feb. 17, 2009, see section 1891 of Pub. L. 111–5, set out as a note under section 2271 of this title.

Section 1893 of Pub. L. 111–5, formerly set out as a Termination Date of 2009 Amendment note preceding section 2271 of this title, which provided that, except as otherwise provided, amendment by Pub. L. 111–5 not applicable on or after Feb. 13, 2011, and that this section be applied and administered beginning Feb. 13, 2011, as if amendment by Pub. L. 111–5 had never been enacted, was repealed by Pub. L. 112–40, title II, § 201(a), Oct. 21, 2011, 125 Stat. 403, effective Oct. 21, 2011. See Codification note above.

Termination Date

Except as otherwise provided, assistance may not be provided under this section after June 30, 2021, see section 285 of Pub. L. 93–618, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title.