§ 22–2405. False statements.

(a) A person commits the offense of making false statements if that person wilfully makes a false statement that is in fact material, in writing, directly or indirectly, to any instrumentality of the District of Columbia government, under circumstances in which the statement could reasonably be expected to be relied upon as true; provided, that the writing indicates that the making of a false statement is punishable by criminal penalties or if that person makes an affirmation by signing an entity filing or other document under Title 29 of the District of Columbia Official Code, knowing that the facts stated in the filing are not true in any material respect or if that person makes an affirmation by signing a declaration under § 1-1061.13, knowing that the facts stated in the filing are not true in any material respect;

(b) Any person convicted of making false statements shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or imprisoned for not more than 180 days, or both. A violation of this section shall be prosecuted by the Attorney General for the District of Columbia or one of the Attorney General’s assistants.

(Dec. 1, 1982, D.C. Law 4-164, § 404, 29 DCR 3976; Aug. 20, 1994, D.C. Law 10-151, § 113(e), 41 DCR 2608; July 2, 2011, D.C. Law 18-378, § 3(e), 58 DCR 1720; June 5, 2012, D.C. Law 19-137, § 121(b), 59 DCR 2542; June 11, 2013, D.C. Law 19-317, § 205(aa), 60 DCR 2064.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 22-2514.

Section References

This section is referenced in § 4-251.03, § 4-1501.09, § 42-1102, § 47-3504, and § 47-3506.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 18-378, in subsec. (a), inserted “or if that person makes an affirmation by signing an entity filing or other document under Title 29 of the District of Columbia Official Code, knowing that the facts stated in the filing are not true in any material respect ”; and, in subsec. (b), added the second sentence.

D.C. Law 19-137, in subsec. (a), substituted “or if that person makes an affirmation by signing a declaration under § 1-1061.13, knowing that the facts stated in the filing are not true in any material respect” for “respect”.

The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 19-317 substituted “not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01” for “not more than $1,000” in (b).

Cross References

Adult protective services, penalties and enforcement, see § 7-1912.

Beneficial owners, directors, or officers of domestic stock insurance companies; statements required by, see § 31-603.

Class 1 or class 2 property certification, false statements, see § 42-1102.

Compulsory school attendance, penalty for failure to provide correct information, see § 361-206.

Financing statement or other filing, false statement, see § 41-204.

Firearms control, false information violating law, see § 7-2507.04.

Lower income homeownership tax abatement and incentives, false statements, see §§ 47-3504, 47-3506.

Medicaid Provider Fraud Prevention Act, civil penalties for violating, see § 4-803.

Medicaid Provider Fraud Prevention Act, penalties for violation, see § 4-802.

Motor vehicle liens, false statements as to liens on motor vehicles, see § 50-1215.

Motor vehicle registration, unlawful acts concerning, see § 50-1501.04.

No fault motor vehicle insurance, false statements relating to, see § 31-2413.

Partnership certificate execution, false statement, see § 33-202.04.

Probate and Administration of Decedent’s Estates, verification of writings required by Title 20, see § 20-102.

Professional engineers, unlawful acts, see § 47-2886.14.

Qualified lower income homeownership households, administration and enforcement of provisions, see § 47-3504.

Qualifying nonprofit housing organizations, administration and enforcement of provisions, see § 47-3506.

Real property assessment and tax, deductions from estimated market values of properties owned by single families or cooperative housing associations, false statements, see § 47-850.

Tax deed recordation, penalty for certain acts in relation to compromises and agreements concerning recordation tax on deeds, see § 42-1110.

Tuition required of nonresident attending public school in district, false statements, see § 38-303.

Unemployment compensation, penalty for false statements or representations, see § 51-119.

Veterinary medicine, prohibited acts concerning practice, see § 3-514.

Vital statistics, false reports, see § 7-225.

Wastewater control, falsifying information, see § 8-105.04.

Water pipes or sewers, false claims for compensation for repair, see § 8-205.

Workers’ compensation benefits or payment, penalty for false statement to obtain, see § 32-1533.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary amendment of section, see § 113(e) of the Omnibus Criminal Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 1994 (D.C. Act 10-255, June 22, 1994, 41 DCR 4286).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 121(b) of Comprehensive Military and Overseas Voters Accommodation Emergency Act of 2011 (D.C. Act 19-230, November 16, 2011, 58 DCR 9942).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 121(b) of Comprehensive Military and Overseas Voters Accommodation Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2012 (D.C. Act 19-310, February 22, 2012, 59 DCR 1688).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 205(aa) of the Criminal Fine Proportionality Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-45, April 1, 2013, 60 DCR 5400, 20 DCSTAT 1300).

Temporary Legislation

Section 121(b) of D.C. Law 19-88, in subsec. (a), substituted “or if that person makes an affirmation by signing a declaration under section 113 of the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Temporary Act of 2011, passed on 2nd reading on December 6, 2011 (Enrolled version of Bill 19-547), knowing that the facts stated in the filing are not true in any material respect.” for a period.

Section 302(b) of D.C. Law 19-88 provided that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.

Editor's Notes

Applicability of D.C. Law 19-317: Section 401 of D.C. Law 19-317 provided that the act shall apply only to offenses committed on or after June 11, 2013.