(a) It is an offense for any person or entity to knowingly make a false statement or representation or fail to disclose a material fact, to obtain or increase any benefit or other payment under this chapter, either for the person’s own benefit or for the benefit of any other person.
Attorney's Note
Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 50-7-709
Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
Knowingly: means having actual knowledge of or acting with deliberate ignorance or reckless disregard for the prohibition involved. See Tennessee Code 50-7-403
(b) Each false statement or representation or failure to disclose a material fact constitutes a separate offense.(c) All prosecutions for offenses defined by this section shall be commenced within two (2) years after the commission of the offense.(d)(1) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.(2) A second or subsequent violation of this section is a Class E felony; provided, that the second or subsequent violation of this section occurs after a conviction has been obtained for the previous violation.(3) A first or subsequent violation of this section where the person has a prior conviction for a similar offense in another jurisdiction is a Class E felony; provided, that the second or subsequent violation occurs after a conviction has been obtained for the previous violation.(4) Subdivision (d)(2) or (d)(3) shall only apply if at least one (1) of the required offenses occurs on or after January 1, 2010.
