Amendment #694 to H4600

Check Washing Enhanced Penalties

Representatives Jones of North Reading, Ferguson of Holden, Frost of Auburn, Gifford of Wareham, Barrows of Mansfield and Smola of Warren move to amend the bill by adding the following section:-

“SECTION XX. Chapter 266 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 37 the following new section:-

Section 37 ½ Check washing; penalties

Whoever engages in the act of check washing shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than ten years, or by a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars, if the amount of funds fraudulently obtained or attempted to be obtained exceeds $1,200; or, if the amount of funds fraudulently obtained or attempted to be obtained does not exceed $1,200, shall be punished by imprisonment in jail for not more than two years or by a fine of not more than $3,000.

For the purposes of this section, “check washing” shall be defined as the act of intercepting a check or money order and chemically or otherwise altering the check or money order to change the name of the payee, the dollar amount, or both and fraudulently cashing or depositing, or attempting to cash or deposit, the check or money order.”

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #694 to H4600

Check Washing Enhanced Penalties