US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

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[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC1831]

 
                 TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
                 CHAPTER 90--PROTECTION OF TRADE SECRETS
 
Sec. 1831. Economic espionage

    (a) In General.--Whoever, intending or knowing that the offense will 
benefit any foreign government, foreign instrumentality, or foreign 
agent, knowingly--
        (1) steals, or without authorization appropriates, takes, 
    carries away, or conceals, or by fraud, artifice, or deception 
    obtains a trade secret;
        (2) without authorization copies, duplicates, sketches, draws, 
    photographs, downloads, uploads, alters, destroys, photocopies, 
    replicates, transmits, delivers, sends, mails, communicates, or 
    conveys a trade secret;
        (3) receives, buys, or possesses a trade secret, knowing the 
    same to have been stolen or appropriated, obtained, or converted 
    without authorization;
        (4) attempts to commit any offense described in any of 
    paragraphs (1) through (3); or
        (5) conspires with one or more other persons to commit any 
    offense described in any of paragraphs (1) through (3), and one or 
    more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the 
    conspiracy,

shall, except as provided in subsection (b), be fined not more than 
$500,000 or imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.
    (b) Organizations.--Any organization that commits any offense 
described in subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $10,000,000.

(Added Pub. L. 104-294, title I, Sec. 101(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 
3488.)