15-61-205. False claims prohibited -- penalty. - Montana Statutes

     15-61-205. False claims prohibited -- penalty. (1) A person may not knowingly prepare or cause to be prepared a false claim, receipt, statement, or billing to justify the withdrawal of money from an account.
     (2) A person who violates subsection (1) by preparing or causing the preparation of a false claim, receipt, statement, or billing in an amount not exceeding $300 is guilty of theft and upon conviction shall be fined an amount not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both. A person convicted of a second offense shall be fined $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both. A person convicted of a third or subsequent offense shall be fined $1,000 and be imprisoned in the county jail for a term of not less than 30 days or more than 6 months.
     (3) A person who violates subsection (1) by preparing or causing the preparation of a false claim, receipt, statement, or billing in an amount of $300 or more is guilty of theft and upon conviction shall be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000 or be imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 10 years, or both.
     (4) Amounts involved in thefts committed pursuant to a common scheme or the same transaction, whether from the same person or several persons, may be aggregated in determining the value of the amount withdrawn from an account in violation of this section.

     History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 295, L. 1995.