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New jersey criminal charge

Penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading in New jersey

Current through 2026 New Jersey legislative session

Penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading is a criminal offense under New jersey law, defined by N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34. Its classification is not fixed: New jersey assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34.

What is the penalty for penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading in New jersey?

Penalties for Penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prison5 years to 10 years (False claim for payment — $25,000 or above — The false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim for payment on a government contract is for $25,000.00 or above.; presumption of imprisonment (2C:44-1(d)))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 150000 usd (no statutory minimum) (False claim for payment — $25,000 or above — The false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim for payment on a government contract is for $25,000.00 or above.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prison3 years to 5 years (False claim for payment — over $2,500 but under $25,000 — The false claim for payment on a government contract exceeds $2,500.00 but is less than $25,000.00.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 15000 usd (no statutory minimum) (False claim for payment — over $2,500 but under $25,000 — The false claim for payment on a government contract exceeds $2,500.00 but is less than $25,000.00.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prisonup to 18 months (no statutory minimum) (False claim for payment — $2,500 or less — The false claim for payment on a government contract is for $2,500.00 or less.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 10000 usd (no statutory minimum) (False claim for payment — $2,500 or less — The false claim for payment on a government contract is for $2,500.00 or less.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prison5 years to 10 years (False material representation — contract $25,000 or above — A knowing false material representation is made in connection with a government contract valued at $25,000.00 or above.; presumption of imprisonment (2C:44-1(d)))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 150000 usd (no statutory minimum) (False material representation — contract $25,000 or above — A knowing false material representation is made in connection with a government contract valued at $25,000.00 or above.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prison3 years to 5 years (False material representation — contract over $2,500 but under $25,000 — A knowing false material representation is made in connection with a government contract exceeding $2,500.00 but less than $25,000.00.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 15000 usd (no statutory minimum) (False material representation — contract over $2,500 but under $25,000 — A knowing false material representation is made in connection with a government contract exceeding $2,500.00 but less than $25,000.00.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prisonup to 18 months (no statutory minimum) (False material representation — contract $2,500 or less — A knowing false material representation is made in connection with a government contract valued at $2,500.00 or less.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 10000 usd (no statutory minimum) (False material representation — contract $2,500 or less — A knowing false material representation is made in connection with a government contract valued at $2,500.00 or less.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prison5 years to 10 years (Prevailing wage violation — contract $75,000 or above — An employer knowingly pays public work employees below the required prevailing wage rate on a contract valued at $75,000.00 or above.; presumption of imprisonment (2C:44-1(d)))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 150000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Prevailing wage violation — contract $75,000 or above — An employer knowingly pays public work employees below the required prevailing wage rate on a contract valued at $75,000.00 or above.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prison3 years to 5 years (Prevailing wage violation — contract over $2,500 but under $75,000 — An employer knowingly pays public work employees below the required prevailing wage rate on a contract exceeding $2,500.00 but less than $75,000.00.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))presumptiveN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 15000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Prevailing wage violation — contract over $2,500 but under $75,000 — An employer knowingly pays public work employees below the required prevailing wage rate on a contract exceeding $2,500.00 but less than $75,000.00.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3); offense-specific ceilings may exceed)discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Jail / prisonup to 18 months (no statutory minimum) (Prevailing wage violation — contract $2,500 or less — An employer knowingly pays public work employees below the required prevailing wage rate on a contract valued at $2,500.00 or less.; first-offender presumption of non-incarceration may apply (2C:44-1(e), carve-outs))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6
Fineup to 10000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Prevailing wage violation — contract $2,500 or less — An employer knowingly pays public work employees below the required prevailing wage rate on a contract valued at $2,500.00 or less.; or up to double gain/loss (2C:43-3))discretionaryN.J.S.A. 2C:43-6

Applies to current.

How is penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading classified in New jersey?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
False claim for payment — $25,000 or abovecrime of the second degreeThe false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim for payment on a government contract is for $25,000.00 or above.N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34undefined
False claim for payment — over $2,500 but under $25,000crime of the third degreeThe false claim for payment on a government contract exceeds $2,500.00 but is less than $25,000.00.N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34undefined
False claim for payment — $2,500 or lesscrime of the fourth degreeThe false claim for payment on a government contract is for $2,500.00 or less.N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34undefined
False material representation — contract $25,000 or abovecrime of the second degreeA knowing false material representation is made in connection with a government contract valued at $25,000.00 or above.N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34undefined
False material representation — contract over $2,500 but under $25,000crime of the third degreeA knowing false material representation is made in connection with a government contract exceeding $2,500.00 but less than $25,000.00.N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34undefined
False material representation — contract $2,500 or lesscrime of the fourth degreeA knowing false material representation is made in connection with a government contract valued at $2,500.00 or less.N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34undefined
Prevailing wage violation — contract $75,000 or abovecrime of the second degreeAn employer knowingly pays public work employees below the required prevailing wage rate on a contract valued at $75,000.00 or above.N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34undefined
Prevailing wage violation — contract over $2,500 but under $75,000crime of the third degreeAn employer knowingly pays public work employees below the required prevailing wage rate on a contract exceeding $2,500.00 but less than $75,000.00.N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34undefined
Prevailing wage violation — contract $2,500 or lesscrime of the fourth degreeAn employer knowingly pays public work employees below the required prevailing wage rate on a contract valued at $2,500.00 or less.N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34undefined

Common questions about penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading in New jersey

What degree of offense is penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading in New Jersey?

It depends on the circumstances: penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading ranges from a crime of the fourth degree to a crime of the second degree in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34.

False claim for payment — $25,000 or above: crime of the second degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34) · False claim for payment — over $2,500 but under $25,000: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34) · False claim for payment — $2,500 or less: crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34) · False material representation — contract $25,000 or above: crime of the second degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34) · False material representation — contract over $2,500 but under $25,000: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34) · False material representation — contract $2,500 or less: crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34) · Prevailing wage violation — contract $75,000 or above: crime of the second degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34) · Prevailing wage violation — contract over $2,500 but under $75,000: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34) · Prevailing wage violation — contract $2,500 or less: crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34)

What are the penalties for penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading in New Jersey?

Penalties for penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading in New Jersey depend on how it is classified — from a crime of the fourth degree up to a crime of the second degree — with the ranges set by N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which New Jersey statute covers penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading?

Penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34 (Penalty for false contract payment claims, representation, for a government contract; prevailing wage violations; grading).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.