37-12-209. Accepting rebates.
Any person receiving service from any public utility subject to the provisions of this act, who shall knowingly by an employee, agent, officer or otherwise, directly or indirectly, by or through any means or device whatsoever, receive or accept from such public utility any sum of money or other valuable consideration as rebate or offset against the regular charge for such service as fixed by the schedule of rates provided for in this act, shall in addition to any penalty provided for by this act, forfeit to the state a sum of money three (3) times the amount of money so received or accepted and three (3) times the value of any other consideration so received or accepted, to be ascertained by the trial court; and the attorney general of the state, or the attorney of the commission under its direction shall institute in the name of the state in the district court of the county in which the commission has its principal offices a civil action to collect the said sum or sums so forfeited as aforesaid; in the trial of the said action, all such rebate or other consideration so received or accepted subsequent to the passage of this act for a period of three (3) years prior to the commencement of the action may be included therein; the amount of the recovery shall be three (3) times the total amount of money or three (3) times the total value of such consideration received or accepted, or both, as the case may be.