(a) Criminal penalties. Nothing in section 274C of the Act shall be construed to diminish or qualify any of the penalties available for activities prohibited by this section but proscribed as well in title 18, United States Code.
(b) Civil penalties. A person or entity may face civil penalties for a violation of section 274C of the Act. Civil penalties may be imposed by the Service or by an administrative law judge for violations under section 274C of the Act. The Service may charge multiple violations of section 274C of the Act in a single Notice of Intent to Fine, and may impose separate penalties for each such unlawful act in a single proceeding or determination. However, in determining whether an offense is a first offense or a subsequent offense, a finding of more than one violation in the course of a single proceeding or determination will be counted as a single offense.
(1) A respondent found by the Service or an administrative law judge to have violated section 274C of the Act shall be subject to an order:
(i) To cease and desist from such behavior; and
(ii) To pay a civil penalty as follows:
(A) First offense under section 274C(a)(1) through (a)(4). Not less than $275 and not exceeding $2,200 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(1) through (a)(4) of the Act before March 27, 2008; not less than $375 and not exceeding $3,200 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(1) through (a)(4) of the Act on or after March 27, 2008, and on or before November 2, 2015; and not less than $517 and not exceeding $4,144 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(1) through (a)(4) of the Act after November 2, 2015.
(B) First offense under section 274C(a)(5) or (a)(6). Not less than $250 and not exceeding $2,000 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(5) or (a)(6) of the Act before March 27, 2008; not less than $275 and not exceeding $2,200 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(5) or (a)(6) of the Act on or after March 27, 2008, and on or before November 2, 2015; and not less than $438 and not exceeding $3,494 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(5) or (a)(6) of the Act after November 2, 2015.
(C) Subsequent offenses under section 274C(a)(1) through (a)(4). Not less than $2,200 and not more than $5,500 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(1) through (a)(4) of the Act before March 27, 2008; not less than $3,200 and not exceeding $6,500 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(1) through (a)(4) of the Act occurring on or after March 27, 2008 and on or before November 2, 2015; and not less than $4,144 and not more than $10,360 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(1) through (a)(4) of the Act after November 2, 2015.
(D) Subsequent offenses under section 274C(a)(5) or (a)(6). Not less than $2,000 and not more than $5,000 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(5) or (a)(6) of the Act before March 27, 2008; not less than $2,200 and not exceeding $5,500 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(5) or (a)(6) of the Act occurring on or after March 27, 2008, and on or before November 2, 2015; and not less than $3,494 and not more than $8,736 for each fraudulent document or each proscribed activity described in section 274C(a)(5) or (a)(6) of the Act after November 2, 2015.
(2) Where an order is issued to a respondent composed of distinct, physically separate subdivisions each of which provides separately for the hiring, recruiting, or referring for a fee for employment (without reference to the practices of, and not under the common control of or common control with, another subdivision), each subdivision shall be considered a separate person or entity.
[57 FR 33866, July 31, 1992, as amended at 64 FR 47101, Aug. 30, 1999; 73 FR 10135, Feb. 26, 2008; 81 FR 43001, July 1, 2016; 82 FR 8579, Jan. 27, 2017; 83 FR 13834, Apr. 2, 2018; 84 FR 13508, Apr. 5, 2019; 85 FR 36478, June 17, 2020; 86 FR 57539, Oct. 18, 2021; 87 FR 1326, Jan. 11, 2022]