18 USC § 3301 - Securities fraud offenses

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s3301"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 3301 - Securities fraud offenses"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "3301"
section_name: "Securities fraud offenses"
chapter_number: 213
chapter_name: "LIMITATIONS"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 111–203, title X, § 1079A(b)(1), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2079.)"
---


# § 3301. Securities fraud offenses

**(a)** **Definition.—** In this section, the term “securities fraud offense” means a violation of, or a conspiracy or an attempt to violate—

**(1)** section 1348;

**(2)** section 32(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78ff(a));

**(3)** section 24 of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77x);

**(4)** section 217 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–17);

**(5)** section 49 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–48); or

**(6)** section 325 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. 77yyy).

**(b)** **Limitation.—** No person shall be prosecuted, tried, or punished for a securities fraud offense, unless the indictment is found or the information is instituted within 6 years after the commission of the offense.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 111–203, title X, § 1079A(b)(1), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2079.)

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 1 day after , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as a note under , Banks and Banking.