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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66189</law_id><section_number>18.2-118</section_number><catch_line>Fraudulent conversion or removal of leased personal property</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-327.15</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Crimes Against Property</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="4">Embezzlement and Fraudulent Conversions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Whenever any person is in <span class="dictionary">possession</span> or control of any personal property, by virtue of or subject to a written lease of such property, except property described in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Failure of bailee to return animal, aircraft, vehicle or boat" href="/18.2-117/">18.2-117</a> or in the Virginia Lease-Purchase Agreement Act (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Title" href="/59.1-207.17/">59.1-207.17</a> et seq.), and such person so in <span class="dictionary">possession</span> or control shall, with <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to defraud, sell, secrete, or destroy the property, or dispose of the property for his own use, or fraudulently remove the same from the Commonwealth without the written consent of the lessor thereof, or fail to return such property to the lessor thereof within 30 days after expiration of the lease or rental period for such property stated in such written lease, he shall be deemed guilty of the <span class="dictionary">larceny</span> thereof. <a id="paragraph-240432" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-118/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">fact</span> that such person signs the lease or rental agreement with a name other than his own, or fails to return such property to the lessor thereof within 30 days after the giving of written notice to such person that the lease or rental period for such property has expired, shall be prima facie <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to defraud. For purposes of this section, notice mailed by certified mail and addressed to such person at the address of the lessee stated in the lease, shall be sufficient giving of written notice under this section. <a id="paragraph-240433" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-118/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">venue</span> of <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> under this section shall be the county or city in which such property was leased or in which such <span class="dictionary">accused</span> person last had a legal residence. <a id="paragraph-240434" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-118/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> a person found guilty of an <span class="dictionary">offense</span> under this section to make <span class="dictionary">restitution</span> as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> deems appropriate to the lessor. Such <span class="dictionary">restitution</span> may include (i) the cost of repairing such property; (ii) if the property is not returned or cannot reasonably be repaired, the actual value of such property; and (iii) any reasonable loss of revenue by the lessor resulting from the fraudulent conversion or removal of such property. <a id="paragraph-240435" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-118/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-117.1; 1966, c. 474; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1978, c. 675; 2013, c. 536; 2014, c. 56.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
