Any person who, with intent to defraud, secures the issue by a carrier of a bill of lading knowing that at the time of the issue any or all of the goods described in the bill, as received for transportation, have not been received by the carrier, or an agent of the carrier or a connecting carrier, or are not under the carrier's control, by inducing an officer, agent, or servant of the carrier falsely to believe that the goods have been received by the carrier, or are under its control, shall be guilty of a crime, and upon conviction shall be punished for each offense by imprisonment not exceeding five (5) years, or by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-9.1-7