---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-9-53. Damaging, destroying, or secreting property to defraud another.
collection: code
id: 16-9-53
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-9-53 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-9-53
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-9-53.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-9-53/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch7-11-(v14a)-2018-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=aecbfe9c_0#page=530
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-9.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-9-52.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-9-54.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / FORGERY AND FRAUDULENT PRACTICES / FRAUD AND RELATED OFFENSES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-9-53. Damaging, destroying, or secreting property to defraud another.

(a) A person commits the offense of damaging, destroying, or secreting property to defraud another person when he knowingly and with intent to defraud another person damages, destroys, or secretes any property of whatever class or character, whether the property of himself or of another person.

(b) A person convicted of the offense of damaging, destroying, or secreting property to defraud another person shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years.

## History

Code 1933, § 26-1504, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 1249, § 1.