38 USC § 5905 - Penalty for certain acts

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t38/s5905"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "38 USC § 5905 - Penalty for certain acts"
title_number: 38
title_name: "VETERANS’ BENEFITS"
section_number: "5905"
section_name: "Penalty for certain acts"
chapter_number: 59
chapter_name: "AGENTS AND ATTORNEYS"
part_number: "IV"
part_name: "GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1239, § 3405; Pub. L. 99–576, title VII, § 701(81), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3298; Pub. L. 100–687, div. A, title I, § 104(b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4109; renumbered § 5905 and amended Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), (d)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238, 239; Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 109–461, title I, § 101(g), Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3408.)"
---


# § 5905. Penalty for certain acts

Whoever wrongfully withholds from any claimant or beneficiary any part of a benefit or claim allowed and due to the claimant or beneficiary, shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1239, § 3405; Pub. L. 99–576, title VII, § 701(81), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3298; Pub. L. 100–687, div. A, title I, § 104(b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4109; renumbered § 5905 and amended Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), (d)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238, 239; Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 109–461, title I, § 101(g), Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3408.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006— struck out “(1) directly or indirectly solicits, contracts for, charges, or receives, or attempts to solicit, contract for, charge, or receive, any fee or compensation except as provided in sections 5904 or 1984 of this title, or (2)” after “Whoever”.

1991— renumbered  as this section and substituted “5904” for “3404”.

substituted “1984” for “784”.

1988— substituted “shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both” for “shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned at hard labor for not more than two years, or both”.

1986— substituted “to the claimant or beneficiary” for “him”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .