42 U.S.C. § 14944
Verified against govinfo.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on govinfo.gov ↗
- (a)Any person who—shall be subject, in addition to any other penalty that may be prescribed by law, to a civil money penalty of not more than $50,000 for a first violation, and not more than $100,000 for each succeeding violation.
- (1)violates section 14921 of this title;
- (2)makes a false or fraudulent statement, or misrepresentation, with respect to a material fact, or offers, gives, solicits, or accepts inducement by way of compensation, intended to influence or affect in the United States or a foreign country—
- (A)a decision by an accrediting entity with respect to the accreditation of an agency or approval of a person under subchapter II;
- (B)the relinquishment of parental rights or the giving of parental consent relating to the adoption of a child in a case subject to the Convention; or
- (C)a decision or action of any entity performing a central authority function; or
- (3)engages another person as an agent, whether in the United States or in a foreign country, who in the course of that agency takes any of the actions described in paragraph (1) or (2),
- (b)
- (1)The Attorney General may bring a civil action to enforce subsection (a) against any person in any United States district court.
- (2)In imposing penalties the court shall consider the gravity of the violation, the degree of culpability of the defendant, and any history of prior violations by the defendant.
- (c)Whoever knowingly and willfully violates paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) shall be subject to a fine of not more than $250,000, imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both.