The Office is one of the most celebrated comedies of all time, with bizarre characters that are just relatable enough to remain beloved figures in pop culture even eight years after the show ended. The show remains as popular as ever thanks to its availability to stream on Peacock and an abundance of YouTube compilations.
Over the course of the series' nine seasons, characters such as Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute, and Jim and Pam Halpert got up to plenty of antics, not all of which were strictly legal. Some characters' actions throughout the show constitute criminal offenses that could land them very real prison time in the state of Pennsylvania.
Corporate Fraud
Ryan Howard was often a walking contradiction, exuding success but failing at almost every turn, appearing generally normal but proving to be one of the most unpredictable characters in the office, it was only a matter of time before his contradictions caught up with him. Such was the case at the end of Season 4, when it was revealed that Ryan's pet project, the Dunder Mifflin sales website, had been reporting false numbers to appear more successful.
According to the Statutes of Pennsylvania, this becomes a third-degree Title 18 violation, as Ryan provided misleading information concerning the website's business. As a result, he could face a fine anywhere between $50 and $500 dollars, as well as the potential of being investigated further by the district attorney.
Physical Assault
In "The Negotiation," after learning that Jim had kissed Pam after the casino night, Roy Harper barges into the office and attempts to attack Jim. Thankfully, he didn't manage to actually harm the salesman, since Dwight had been prepared to fend off any attackers with a can of pepper spray he kept in his desk.
In the state of Pennsylvania, Roy's actions constitute a simple assault, as he "attempt[ed]...to cause bodily injury to another." This would be classified as a second-degree misdemeanor, which could lead to one to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000, according to David J. Cohen law firm's website.
Indecent Exposure
Meredith Palmer is a single mother working at the Dunder Mifflin Scranton office. She is remembered for many wild and gross acts on The Office, one of which includes her less-than-appropriate outfit in "Casual Friday," which, when she was asked to adjust it, did not adequately cover all of her private body parts.
Given that she was aware that this kind of behavior would cause alarm amongst her peers, Meredith's actions fall under Section 3127 of Pennyslvania's crimes and offenses, categorized as a second-degree misdemeanor, which would likely lead to a fine and even up to two years' jail time if considered offensive enough.
Child Abandonment
After his departure from Scranton, much of Ryan's life is left unknown to the viewer. However, his return in the series finale fills in some of those gaps, including revealing that he has a son named Drake. However, after rekindling his relationship with Kelly Kapoor, the two run off into the sunset, abandoning the child in the arms of Nellie Bertram.
As a result of abandoning Drake, Ryan is therefore guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor under the state of Pennsylvania's Title 18 Section 4304, constituting child endangerment. Misdemeanors of this caliber can be subject to up to $10,000 in fines and could even result in a prison sentence ranging from two-and-a-half to five years.
Yelling Fire Inciting A Panic
Dwight Schrute was often the smartest person in the office, but he was also often the most dangerous. In The Office's highest-rated episode, "Safety Training Part 1," he tricks his coworkers into thinking a fire had broken out, inciting a panic among the group that led to Stanley Hudson having a heart attack.
Yelling fire inciting a panic is the textbook example of the boundary of one's legal freedoms. According to Pennsylvania's Section 4905, Dwight could therefore be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor and potentially sentenced to prison for two-and-a-half to five years, and even face fines up to $10,000.
Sexual Harassment
After learning that Oscar Martinez is gay in the season 3 episode "Gay Witch Hunt", Michael Scott takes it upon himself to make sure that the other members of the office accept the accountant's lifestyle. However, he proves to be the more troublesome of the bunch, with his homophobic comments and general insensitivity ruining his efforts. To make up for this, Michael kisses Oscar on the mouth against his will in front of everyone.
Michael's actions in this episode would no doubt get him charged with a misdemeanor of some sort under Section 3126 of Pennsylvania Title 18. Typically, it would be considered a second-degree misdemeanor but could actually be bumped up to first-degree given Michael's less-than-stellar history of sexual misconduct. As a result, Michael could face a hefty fine for his actions, and even several years in prison.
Kevin's Embezzlement
Throughout much of The Office, it felt like Kevin Malone just couldn't catch a break. He was, however, quite capable of cutting himself a break, skimming some money off of Dunder Mifflin's bottom line. In the season 3 episode "The Convict," Kevin finds that the very thing that Stamford's Martin Nash served prison time for is exactly what he does at Scranton every day.
Kevin's crimes in this capacity are left somewhat vague, but judging from Chapter 39 of Pennsylvania's Title 18 laws, he could be facing a second or third-degree felony charge for his actions, depending on how much money he actually embezzled. As a result, he could potentially face a 10-year prison sentence and a $25,000 fine.
Various Creed Things
There are more unanswered questions about Creed Bratton than anyone else on The Office. His history is filled with tales too tall to be true, but just so detailed that they may very well have happened. Though little is specifically revealed, from Creed's comments, one can ascertain that he has been involved in, if not directly responsible for, theft, extortion, starting a cult, participating in cults, identity theft, insurance fraud, selling drugs, and even murder.
Creed's actions are never addressed in depth, leaving plenty up to the imagination considering what crimes he actually committed. Nevertheless, he is arrested for undisclosed reasons during the series finale, and given the sheer number of crimes he appeared to commit over the course of the documentary, Creed may very well spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Kidnapping
In the episode "Launch Party," after having an unpleasant exchange with the pizza delivery boy catering to an office party, Michael decides to hold the kid in the conference room against his will until he gets the discount he requested. The other office workers quickly realize that they have been implicated in a kidnapping of sorts, a realization that eventually extends to Michael himself, who lets the delivery boy go.
Michael's actions certainly constitute a kidnapping, as he "unlawfully confined another for a substantial period," as detailed in Chapter 29, Section 2901 of Pennsylvania's penal code, especially given that he held the delivery boy for ransom. This classifies as a first-degree felony, which could land Michael in prison for up to two decades, alongside a hefty fine of up to $25,000.
Hiring An Assassin
One of the most egregious crimes committed by a character on The Office comes in the episode titled "The Target," taking place after Angela learns about Oscar's affair with her husband, the state senator Robert Lipton. Oscar is surprised by how amicable she is being, only to later learn that she had hired Dwight's friend Trevor to assassinate him.
Angela's actions are, needless to say, quite terrible. This, of course, would make Angela an accomplice to premeditated murder, in other words, murder of the first degree. According to the David Cohen law firm, this is actually the worst crime someone could commit in the state of Pennsylvania. Angela could receive a life sentence or even the death penalty as a consequence of her horrific and violent actions.