Summary
dismissing claim against Secretary of the Treasury under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 because this "criminal statute . . . does not provide for a private right of action"
Summary of this case from Ackers v. KerryOpinion
Civil Action No. 17-1129 (UNA)
07-19-2017
LEO WEST, Plaintiff, v. STEVEN MNUCHIN, Defendant.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
The Court construes plaintiff's complaint as one alleging that the Secretary of the Treasury has violated 18 U.S.C. § 1001 by making false statements. Plaintiff relies on a criminal statute which does not provide for a private right of action. See Lee v. U.S. Agency for Int'l Devel., ___ F.3d ___, ___, 2017 WL 2602832, at *3 (D.C. Cir. June 16, 2017) (per curiam) (affirming "dismissal of . . . claim under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 because the statute does not create a private cause of action"); Banks v. Kramer, No. 09-5140, 2009 WL 5526780, at *1 (D.C. Cir. Dec. 30, 2009) (per curiam) (affirming dismissal of complaint "alleg[ing] violations of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1001, 1503, 1505, 1621, and 241 [because] there is no private right of action under these criminal statutes"). Accordingly, the Court will grant plaintiff's application to proceed in forma pauperis and dismiss the complaint and this civil action. An Order consistent with this Memorandum Opinion is issued separately. DATE: 7/19/2017
/s/_________
United States District Judge