(a) If CCC determines that a person or legal entity has employed a scheme or device to defeat the purposes of this part, or any part, of any USDA program, payment otherwise due or paid such person or legal entity during the applicable period may be required to be refunded, with interest calculated from the date of disbursement of the funds by CCC, as determined appropriate by CCC.

(b) A scheme or device includes, but is not limited to, coercion, fraud, misrepresentation, depriving any other person or legal entity of any payments, or obtaining a payment that otherwise would not be payable.

(c) A new owner or operator or tenant of land subject to this part who succeeds to the contract responsibilities must report in writing to CCC any interest of any kind in the land subject to this part that is retained by a previous participant. Such interest may include a present, future, or conditional interest, reversionary interest, or any option, future or present, on such land, and any interest of any lender in such land where the lender has, will, or can legally obtain, a right of occupancy to such land or an interest in the equity in such land other than an interest in the appreciation in the value of such land occurring after the loan was made. Failure to fully disclose such interest will be considered a scheme or device under this section.

[75 FR 66234, Oct. 27, 2010. Redesignated at 80 FR 10573, Feb. 27, 2015]