in order to induce him or her to do, abstain from doing, permit, conceal or connive at any act or thing whereby the Government is or may be defrauded or which is otherwise unlawful, being an act or thing relating to an assigned matter, or otherwise to take any course contrary to his or her duty, he or she commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $10,000, or to imprisonment for 2 years, or to both, and may be arrested.