False accounting is a legal term for a type of fraud, considered a statutory offence in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
This offence is created by section 17 of the Theft Act 1968 which provides: (1) Where a person dishonestly, with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another,— he shall, on conviction on indictment, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years.
(2) For purposes of this section a person who makes or concurs in making in an account or other document an entry which is or may be misleading, false or deceptive in a material particular, or who omits or concurs in omitting a material particular from an account or other document, is to be treated as falsifying the account or document.
[7] This offence is created by section 17 of the Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969.
A person guilty of this offence is liable, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years,[10] or on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months, or to a fine not exceeding the prescribed sum, or to both.