---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 216"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "216"
heading: "Penalties and injunctions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/216"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 11 — Bribery, Graft, and Conflicts of Interest"
---

# §216. Penalties and injunctions

- (a) The punishment for an offense under section [203](/usc/18/203.md), [204](/usc/18/204.md), [205](/usc/18/205.md), [207](/usc/18/207.md), [208](/usc/18/208.md), or [209](/usc/18/209.md) of this title is the following:
  - (1) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) engages in the conduct constituting the offense shall be imprisoned for not more than one year or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both.
  - (2) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) willfully engages in the conduct constituting the offense shall be imprisoned for not more than five years or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both.
- (b) The [Attorney General](/usc/18/841.md?p=k) may bring a civil action in the appropriate [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) district court against any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) who engages in conduct constituting an offense under section [203](/usc/18/203.md), [204](/usc/18/204.md), [205](/usc/18/205.md), [207](/usc/18/207.md), [208](/usc/18/208.md), or [209](/usc/18/209.md) of this title and, upon proof of such conduct by a preponderance of the evidence, such [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $50,000 for each violation or the amount of compensation which the [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) received or offered for the prohibited conduct, whichever amount is greater. The imposition of a civil penalty under this subsection does not preclude any other criminal or civil statutory, common law, or administrative remedy, which is available by law to the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or any other [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5).
- (c) If the [Attorney General](/usc/18/841.md?p=k) has reason to believe that a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) is engaging in conduct constituting an offense under section [203](/usc/18/203.md), [204](/usc/18/204.md), [205](/usc/18/205.md), [207](/usc/18/207.md), [208](/usc/18/208.md), or [209](/usc/18/209.md) of this title, the [Attorney General](/usc/18/841.md?p=k) may petition an appropriate [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) district court for an order prohibiting that [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) from engaging in such conduct. The court may issue an order prohibiting that [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) from engaging in such conduct if the court finds that the conduct constitutes such an offense. The filing of a petition under this section does not preclude any other remedy which is available by law to the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or any other [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 101–194, title IV, § 407(a), Nov. 30, 1989, 103 Stat. 1753; amended Pub. L. 101–280, § 5(f), May 4, 1990, 104 Stat. 159.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 216, acts June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 695, § 216, formerly § 221, amended Aug. 21, 1958, Pub. L. 85–699, title VII, § 702(a)–(c), 72 Stat. 698; Aug. 18, 1959, Pub. L. 86–168, title I, § 104(h), 73 Stat. 387, and renumbered Oct. 23, 1962, Pub. L. 87–849, § 1(d), 76 Stat. 1125, related to receipt or charge of commissions or gifts for farm loan, land bank, or small business transactions, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 1107(b), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2146.

Another prior section 216, act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 694, which related to procurement of a contract by an officer or Member of Congress, was repealed by section 1(c) of Pub. L. 87–849.

### Amendments

1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–280, § 5(f)(1), substituted “section 203, 204, 205, 207, 208, or 209” for “sections 203, 204, 205, 207, 208, and 209”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–280, § 5(f)(2), substituted “section 203, 204, 205, 207, 208, or 209” for “sections 203, 204, 205, 207, 208, and 209”.