General Discussion

. . . under 18 U.S.C. § 1001, also known as the False Statements Act. To be prosecuted under Section 1001, the following conditions must typically be met:

• knowing and Willful: You must have known the statement was false when you made it;
  
• Materiality: The lie must be "material," meaning it has a natural tendency to influence, or is capable of influencing, the decision-making body it is addressed to; and
  
• Jurisdiction: The statement must be related to a matter within the jurisdiction of a federal agency or department, which includes congressional hearings and investigations.