18 U.S.C. § 955 — Financial transactions with foreign govern-

Page 272 TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE § 955 § 955. Financial transactions with foreign govern- ments Whoever, within the United States, purchases or sells the bonds, securities, or other obliga- tions of any foreign government or political sub- division thereof or any organization or associa- tion acting for or on behalf of a foreign govern- ment or political subdivision thereof, issued after April 13, 1934, or makes any loan to such foreign government, political subdivision, orga- nization or association, except a renewal or ad- justment of existing indebtedness, while such government, political subdivision, organization or association, is in default in the payment of its obligations, or any part thereof, to the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both. This section is applicable to individuals, part- nerships, corporations, or associations other than public corporations created by or pursuant to special authorizations of Congress, or cor- porations in which the United States has or ex- ercises a controlling interest through stock ownership or otherwise. While any foreign gov- ernment is a member both of the International Monetary Fund and of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, this sec- tion shall not apply to the sale or purchase of bonds, securities, or other obligations of such government or any political subdivision thereof or of any organization or association acting for or on behalf of such government or political sub- division, or to making of any loan to such gov- ernment, political subdivision, organization, or association. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 744; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on section 804a of title 31, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Money and Finance (Apr. 13, 1934, ch. 112, §§ 1, 2, 48 Stat. 574). Words ‘‘within the United States’’ were substituted for ‘‘within the jurisdiction’’ etc., in view of the defini- tion of United States in section 5 of this title. Words ‘‘upon conviction thereof’’ were omitted from first paragraph as surplusage since punishment cannot be imposed until a conviction is secured. Minor changes were made in phraseology. SENATE REVISION AMENDMENT An additional paragraph was added to the text of this section by Senate amendment, which was taken from section 804b of Title 31, U.S.C., Money and Finance. Therefore, as finally enacted, such section 804b and the Acts from which it was derived (Act Apr. 13, 1934, ch. 112, § 3, as added July 31, 1945, ch. 339, § 9, 59 Stat. 516), were an additional source of this section. See Senate Report No. 1620, amendment No. 9, 80th Cong. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $10,000’’ in first par. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries APPLICABILITY OF SECTION Pub. L. 102–511, title IX, § 902, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3355, provided that: ‘‘Section 955 of title 18, United States Code, shall not apply with respect to any obliga- tions of the former Soviet Union, or any of the inde- pendent states of the former Soviet Union, or any polit- ical subdivision, organization, or association thereof.’’ § 956. Conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, or injure persons or damage property in a foreign country (a)(1) Whoever, within the jurisdiction of the United States, conspires with one or more other persons, regardless of where such other person or persons are located, to commit at any place outside the United States an act that would con- stitute the offense of murder, kidnapping, or maiming if committed in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States shall, if any of the conspirators commits an act within the jurisdiction of the United States to effect any object of the conspiracy, be punished as provided in subsection (a)(2). (2) The punishment for an offense under sub- section (a)(1) of this section is— (A) imprisonment for any term of years or for life if the offense is conspiracy to murder or kidnap; and (B) imprisonment for not more than 35 years if the offense is conspiracy to maim. (b) Whoever, within the jurisdiction of the United States, conspires with one or more per- sons, regardless of where such other person or persons are located, to damage or destroy spe- cific property situated within a foreign country and belonging to a foreign government or to any political subdivision thereof with which the United States is at peace, or any railroad, canal, bridge, airport, airfield, or other public utility, public conveyance, or public structure, or any religious, educational, or cultural property so situated, shall, if any of the conspirators com- mits an act within the jurisdiction of the United States to effect any object of the conspiracy, be imprisoned not more than 25 years. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 744; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, § 704(a), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1294.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on section 234 of title 22, U.S.C., 1940 ed., For- eign Relations and Intercourse (June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title VIII, § 5, 40 Stat. 226). Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1996—Pub. L. 104–132 substituted ‘‘Conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, or injure persons or damage property in a foreign country’’ for ‘‘Conspiracy to injure property of foreign government’’ as section catchline and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘(a) If two or more persons within the jurisdiction of the United States conspire to injure or destroy specific property situated within a foreign country and belong- ing to a foreign government or to any political subdivi- sion thereof with which the United States is at peace, or any railroad, canal, bridge, or other public utility so situated, and if one or more such persons commits an act within the jurisdiction of the United States to ef- fect the object of the conspiracy, each of the parties to the conspiracy shall be fined under this title or impris- oned not more than three years, or both.