Every officer, agent or employee of any company, and every other person who knowingly authorizes, directs or aids in the publication, advertisement, distribution or circularization of any false statement or representation concerning any land or subdivision thereof, as defined in Chapter 1 (commencing at Section 11000) of Part 2 of this division, offered for sale or lease, or, if the land is owned by the State or Federal Government, which such person offers to assist another or others to file an application for the purchase or lease of, or to locate or enter upon, and every person who, with knowledge that any advertisement, pamphlet, prospectus or letter concerning any said land or subdivision, as defined in Chapter 1 (commencing at Section 11000) of Part 2 of this division, contains any written statement that is false or fraudulent, issues, circulates, publishes or distributes the same, or causes the same to be issued, circulated, published or distributed, or who, in any other respect, willfully violates or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this section, or who in any other respect willfully violates or fails, omits or neglects to obey, observe or comply with any order, permit, decision, demand or requirement of the commissioner under this section, is guilty of a public offense, and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and, if a real estate licensee, he shall be held to trial by the commissioner for a suspension or revocation of his license, as provided in the provisions of this part relating to hearings. The district attorney of each county in this State shall prosecute all violations of the provisions of this section in respective counties in which the violations occur.

(Amended by Stats. 1959, Ch. 2116.)