18 U.S.C. § 224 — Bribery in sporting contests

submitted 62 years ago by Pub. L. 88-316 to r/title-18-CRIMES-AND-CRIMINAL-PROCEDURE · 250 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

It is a federal crime to carry out, attempt, or conspire to carry out a scheme using interstate commerce to bribe and influence a sporting contest, punishable by a fine or up to 5 years in prison. This law does not replace or block similar state, territorial, or local laws, and does not take away local authorities' jurisdiction over the same conduct. The section also defines "scheme in commerce," "sporting contest," and "person."

(a) It is a federal crime to carry out, try to carry out, or conspire with someone else to carry out a scheme "in commerce" meant to influence a sporting contest through bribery, if you know that is the scheme's purpose. The penalty is a fine under this title, or up to 5 years in prison, or both. (b) This section does not mean Congress wants to be the only authority over this kind of conduct. State, territory, Commonwealth, or U.S. possession laws that would otherwise be valid stay valid, and local authorities keep whatever jurisdiction they would have had without this federal law. (c) Definitions used in this section: (1) "Scheme in commerce" means any scheme carried out, at least partly, using interstate or foreign commerce - for example, transportation or communication facilities that cross state or national lines. (2) "Sporting contest" means any contest in any sport, between individual contestants or teams, whether amateur or professional, as long as the contest was publicly announced before it happened. (3) "Person" means any individual, and also any partnership, corporation, association, or other entity.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

(a)

Whoever carries into effect, attempts to carry into effect, or conspires with any other person to carry into effect any scheme in commerce to influence, in any way, by bribery any sporting contest, with knowledge that the purpose of such scheme is to influence by bribery that contest, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(b)

This section shall not be construed as indicating an intent on the part of Congress to occupy the field in which this section operates to the exclusion of a law of any State, territory, Commonwealth, or possession of the United States, and no law of any State, territory, Commonwealth, or possession of the United States, which would be valid in the absence of the section shall be declared invalid, and no local authorities shall be deprived of any jurisdiction over any offense over which they would have jurisdiction in the absence of this section.

(c)

As used in this section—

(1)

The term “scheme in commerce” means any scheme effectuated in whole or in part through the use in interstate or foreign commerce of any facility for transportation or communication;

(2)

The term “sporting contest” means any contest in any sport, between individual contestants or teams of contestants (without regard to the amateur or professional status of the contestants therein), the occurrence of which is publicly announced before its occurrence;

(3)

The term “person” means any individual and any partnership, corporation, association, or other entity.

Source credit: (Added Pub. L. 88–316, § 1(a), June 6, 1964, 78 Stat. 203; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1964Enacted · Pub. L. 88-316 · 78 Stat. 203
1994Amended · Pub. L. 103-322 · 108 Stat. 2147

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 88-316 on 1964-06-06.

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