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<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="8-404" title_number="8" title_name="Fraud and Related Crimes" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Other Commercial Fraud">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Compensation” includes payment based on a sale or distribution made to a person who:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>is a participant in a plan or operation; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>on making a payment, is entitled to become a participant.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Consideration” does not include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>payment for purchase of goods or services furnished at cost for use in making sales to persons who are not participants in the scheme and who are not purchasing in order to participate in the scheme;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>time or effort spent in pursuit of sales or recruiting activities; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the right to receive a discount or rebate based on the purchase or acquisition of goods or services by a bona fide cooperative buying group or association.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Promote” means to induce one or more persons to become a participant.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“Pyramid promotional scheme” means a plan or operation by which a participant gives consideration for the opportunity to receive compensation to be derived primarily from any person’s introduction of others into participation in the plan or operation rather than from the sale of goods, services, or other intangible property by the participant or others introduced into the plan or operation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A person may not establish, operate, advertise, or promote a pyramid promotional scheme.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the plan or operation limits the number of persons who may participate or limits the eligibility of participants; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>on payment of anything of value by a participant, the participant obtains any other property in addition to the right to receive compensation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both.</text>
  </level>
</section>
