Bill > H1799

This bill proposes several changes to Massachusetts law regarding check fraud prevention and prosecution. First, it expands jurisdictional options for prosecuting check fraud cases, allowing legal action to be taken either in the location where the fraudulent act occurred or where the victim bank's main office is located. The bill introduces a new specific offense of "check washing," which is defined as intercepting a check or money order and chemically or otherwise altering it to change the payee name, dollar amount, or both, with the intent to fraudulently cash or deposit the altered document. The penalties for check washing are tiered based on the amount of funds fraudulently obtained or attempted: for amounts over $1,200, offenders can be imprisoned in state prison for up to ten years or fined up to $50,000; for amounts $1,200 or less, offenders can be jailed for up to two years or fined up to $3,000. These provisions aim to provide clearer legal frameworks and stronger penalties for check fraud and check washing crimes, giving law enforcement and prosecutors more flexibility in pursuing such cases.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1799