45-18-119 - Criminal penalties. - Tennessee Statutes

45-18-119. Criminal penalties.

(a)  Any person who knowingly and willfully violates any provision of this chapter or any order or rule pursuant thereto for which a penalty is not specifically provided commits a Class C misdemeanor. Each day the violation occurs is a separate offense.

(b)  Any person who knowingly and willfully makes a material, false statement in any document filed or required to be filed under this chapter with the intent to deceive the recipient of the document commits a Class E felony.

(c)  Any person who knowingly and willfully fails to file a document required to be filed under this chapter commits a Class E felony.

(d)  Any person who carries on an unauthorized check cashing business commits a Class E felony.

(e)  Any person who obstructs or endeavors to obstruct a lawful examination of a licensee commits a Class E felony.

(f)  It is the duty of the commissioner to submit to the appropriate district attorney general for the respective counties of the state any criminal violation of this chapter known by the commissioner to have occurred in the county. The commissioner shall also report the violation to the appropriate division of the Tennessee bureau of investigation. The commissioner may provide the information to the attorney general and reporter or the appropriate federal authorities, or both, as the commissioner deems proper. Confidential information that is communicated by the commissioner pursuant to this section remains confidential in the hands of the agency to which the information is reported, and does not become a matter of public record by virtue of this communication.

(g)  In addition to the criminal penalty provided for in this section, the commissioner may also commence an action to enjoin the operation of the business through a cease and desist order.

[Acts 1997, ch. 309, § 19.]