You should probably read 18 USC 1001 [1]. Your example doesn't work for several reasons. * The statement is about your belief, not the facts. If you actually b

You should probably read 18 USC 1001 [1]. Your example doesn't work for several reasons. * The statement is about your belief, not the facts. If you actually believed that, it's not a false statement. * Even if the statement is a statement of fact and not belief (e.g. "The closing stock price for GOOG was 500 yesterday."), the statement has to be materially false. 500 vs 505? Close enough. * Even if the statement is materially false or fraudulent, (e.g. the stock price was really 50,000), the falsehood has to be given "knowingly and willfully." [1] https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001