18 USC § 21 - Stolen or counterfeit nature of property for certain crimes defined

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s21"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 21 - Stolen or counterfeit nature of property for certain crimes defined"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "21"
section_name: "Stolen or counterfeit nature of property for certain crimes defined"
chapter_number: 1
chapter_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXII, § 320910(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2127.)"
---


# § 21. Stolen or counterfeit nature of property for certain crimes defined

**(a)** Wherever in this title it is an element of an offense that—

such element may be established by proof that the defendant, after or as a result of an official representation as to the nature of the property, believed the property to be embezzled, robbed, stolen, converted, taken, altered, counterfeited, falsely made, forged, or obliterated.

**(1)** any property was embezzled, robbed, stolen, converted, taken, altered, counterfeited, falsely made, forged, or obliterated; and

**(2)** the defendant knew that the property was of such character;

**(b)** For purposes of this section, the term “official representation” means any representation made by a Federal law enforcement officer (as defined in section 115) or by another person at the direction or with the approval of such an officer.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXII, § 320910(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2127.)