18 USC § 1344 - Bank fraud

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s1344"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 1344 - Bank fraud"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "1344"
section_name: "Bank fraud"
chapter_number: 63
chapter_name: "MAIL FRAUD AND OTHER FRAUD OFFENSES"
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. 98–473, title II, § 1108(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2147; amended Pub. L. 101–73, title IX, § 961(k), Aug. 9, 1989, 103 Stat. 500; Pub. L. 101–647, title XXV, § 2504(j), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4861.)"
---


# § 1344. Bank fraud

Whoever knowingly executes, or attempts to execute, a scheme or artifice—

**(1)** to defraud a financial institution; or

**(2)** to obtain any of the moneys, funds, credits, assets, securities, or other property owned by, or under the custody or control of, a financial institution, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises;

shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 1108(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2147; amended Pub. L. 101–73, title IX, § 961(k), Aug. 9, 1989, 103 Stat. 500; Pub. L. 101–647, title XXV, § 2504(j), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4861.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1990— substituted “30” for “20” before “years”.

1989— amended section generally, restating former subsec. (a) and striking out former subsec. (b) which defined “federally chartered or insured financial institution”. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “Whoever knowingly executes, or attempts to execute, a scheme or artifice—

“(1) to defraud a federally chartered or insured financial institution; or

“(2) to obtain any of the moneys, funds, credits, assets, securities or other property owned by or under the custody or control of a federally chartered or insured financial institution by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”