West Virginia Code 6B-3-9 – Penalties
(a) Any person who is required under the provisions of this article to file an application, statement or report and who willfully and knowingly makes a false statement, conceals a material fact or otherwise commits a fraud in the application, statement or report is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000, or confined in a county or regional jail not more than one year, or both.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 6B-3-9
- commission: means the West Virginia Ethics Commission. See West Virginia Code 6B-1-3
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Employee: means any person in the service of another under any contract of hire, whether express or implied, oral, or written, where the employer or an agent of the employer or a public official has the right or power to control and direct such person in the material details of how work is to be performed and who is not responsible for the making of policy nor for recommending official action. See West Virginia Code 6B-1-3
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- government officer or employee: includes candidates who have been elected but who have not yet assumed office. See West Virginia Code 6B-3-1
- Person: means any individual, partnership, trust, estate, business trust, association or corporation. See West Virginia Code 6B-3-1
(b) A person who is subject to the registration and reporting requirements of this article and who fails or refuses to register or who fails or refuses to file a required statement or report or who otherwise violates the provisions of this article may be the subject of a complaint filed with the Ethics Commission and may be proceeded against in the same manner and to the same ends as a public officer or public employee under the provisions of this chapter.
(c) A person who willfully and knowingly files a false report under the provisions of this article is liable in a civil action to any government officer or employee who sustains damage as a result of the filing or publication of the report.