18 USC 1159 - Misrepresentation of Indian produced goods and products

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

§ 1159.

Misrepresentation of Indian produced goods and products

(a)

It is unlawful to offer or display for sale or sell any good, with or without a Government trademark, in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States.

(b)

Penalty.—

Any person that knowingly violates subsection (a) shall—

(1)

in the case of a first violation by that person—

(A)

if the applicable goods are offered or displayed for sale at a total price of $1,000 or more, or if the applicable goods are sold for a total price of $1,000 or more—

(i)

in the case of an individual, be fined not more than $250,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both; and

(ii)

in the case of a person other than an individual, be fined not more than $1,000,000; and

(B)

if the applicable goods are offered or displayed for sale at a total price of less than $1,000, or if the applicable goods are sold for a total price of less than $1,000—

(i)

in the case of an individual, be fined not more than $25,000, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both; and

(ii)

in the case of a person other than an individual, be fined not more than $100,000; and

(2)

in the case of a subsequent violation by that person, regardless of the amount for which any good is offered or displayed for sale or sold—

(A)

in the case of an individual, be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 15 years, or both; and

(B)

in the case of a person other than an individual, be fined not more than $5,000,000.

(c)

As used in this section—

(1)

the term “Indian” means any individual who is a member of an Indian tribe, or for the purposes of this section is certified as an Indian artisan by an Indian tribe;

(2)

the terms “Indian product” and “product of a particular Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization” has the meaning given such term in regulations which may be promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior;

(3)

the term “Indian tribe”—

(A)

has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b); 1

 See References in Text note below.

and

(B)

includes, for purposes of this section only, an Indian group that has been formally recognized as an Indian tribe by—

(i)

a State legislature;

(ii)

a State commission; or

(iii)

another similar organization vested with State legislative tribal recognition authority; and

(4)

the term “Indian arts and crafts organization” means any legally established arts and crafts marketing organization composed of members of Indian tribes.

(d)

In the event that any provision of this section is held invalid, it is the intent of Congress that the remaining provisions of this section shall continue in full force and effect.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 759; Pub. L. 101–644, title I, § 104(a), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4663; Pub. L. 111–211, title I, § 103, July 29, 2010, 124 Stat. 2260.)

cite as: 18 USC 1159