47 U.S.C. § 509 — Prohibited practices in contests of knowl-

Page 267 TITLE 47—TELECOMMUNICATIONS § 510 (g) Penalties Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, for each such violation, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title V, § 507, formerly § 508, as added Pub. L. 86–752, § 8(b), Sept. 13, 1960, 74 Stat. 896; renumbered § 507, Pub. L. 96–507, § 1, Dec. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 2747.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 507 of act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, was re- numbered section 506 by section 1 of Pub. L. 96–507, and is classified to section 507 of this title. § 509. Prohibited practices in contests of knowl- edge, skill, or chance (a) Influencing, prearranging, or predetermining outcome It shall be unlawful for any person, with in- tent to deceive the listening or viewing public— (1) To supply to any contestant in a purport- edly bona fide contest of intellectual knowl- edge or intellectual skill any special and se- cret assistance whereby the outcome of such contest will be in whole or in part prearranged or predetermined. (2) By means of persuasion, bribery, intimi- dation, or otherwise, to induce or cause any contestant in a purportedly bona fide contest of intellectual knowledge or intellectual skill to refrain in any manner from using or dis- playing his knowledge or skill in such contest, whereby the outcome thereof will be in whole or in part prearranged or predetermined. (3) To engage in any artifice or scheme for the purpose of prearranging or predetermining in whole or in part the outcome of a purport- edly bona fide contest of intellectual knowl- edge, intellectual skill, or chance. (4) To produce or participate in the produc- tion for broadcasting of, to broadcast or par- ticipate in the broadcasting of, to offer to a li- censee for broadcasting, or to sponsor, any radio program, knowing or having reasonable ground for believing that, in connection with a purportedly bona fide contest of intellectual knowledge, intellectual skill, or chance con- stituting any part of such program, any person has done or is going to do any act or thing re- ferred to in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this sub- section. (5) To conspire with any other person or per- sons to do any act or thing prohibited by para- graph (1), (2), (3), or (4) of this subsection, if one or more of such persons do any act to ef- fect the object of such conspiracy. (b) ‘‘Contest’’ and ‘‘the listening or viewing pub- lic’’ defined For the purposes of this section— (1) The term ‘‘contest’’ means any contest broadcast by a radio station in connection with which any money or any other thing of value is offered as a prize or prizes to be paid or presented by the program sponsor or by any other person or persons, as announced in the course of the broadcast. (2) The term ‘‘the listening or viewing pub- lic’’ means those members of the public who, with the aid of radio receiving sets, listen to or view programs broadcast by radio stations. (c) Penalties Whoever violates subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title V, § 508, formerly § 509, as added Pub. L. 86–752, § 9, Sept. 13, 1960, 74 Stat. 897; renumbered § 508, Pub. L. 96–507, § 1, Dec. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 2747.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 508 of act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, was re- numbered section 507 by section 1 of Pub. L. 96–507, and is classified to section 508 of this title. § 510. Forfeiture of communications devices (a) Violation with willful and knowing intent Any electronic, electromagnetic, radio fre- quency, or similar device, or component thereof, used, sent, carried, manufactured, assembled, possessed, offered for sale, sold, or advertised with willful and knowing intent to violate sec- tion 301 or 302a of this title, or rules prescribed by the Commission under such sections, may be seized and forfeited to the United States. (b) Seizure Any property subject to forfeiture to the United States under this section may be seized by the Attorney General of the United States upon process issued pursuant to the supple- mental rules for certain admiralty and maritime claims by any district court of the United States having jurisdiction over the property, ex- cept that seizure without such process may be made if the seizure is incident to a lawful arrest or search. (c) Laws applicable to seizure and forfeiture All provisions of law relating to— (1) the seizure, summary and judicial for- feiture, and condemnation of property for vio- lation of the customs laws; (2) the disposition of such property or the proceeds from the sale thereof; (3) the remission or mitigation of such for- feitures; and (4) the compromise of claims with respect to such forfeitures; shall apply to seizures and forfeitures incurred, or alleged to have been incurred, under the pro- visions of this section, insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this sec- tion, except that such seizures and forfeitures shall be limited to the communications device, devices, or components thereof. (d) Disposition of forfeited property Whenever property is forfeited under this sec- tion, the Attorney General of the United States may forward it to the Commission or sell any forfeited property which is not harmful to the public. The proceeds from any such sale shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury of the United States.