U.S. Attorney Announces Office Collects Over $8.4 Million

BOISE – United States Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today that his office’s Financial Litigation Unit collected more than $5.7 million in criminal restitution, fines, and assessments and in civil debts for the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2020. In some cases, the U.S. Attorney’s Office worked in conjunction with litigating components of the U.S. Department of Justice. Of the total collected, approximately $2.9 million were criminal restitution, fines, and/or assessments, and approximately $2.8 million were civil debts. In addition, the Asset Forfeiture Unit deposited to the Asset Forfeiture Fund approximately $2,784,824 in proceeds and instruments of crime in criminal and civil forfeiture actions.

“Our office’s collection and asset forfeiture attorneys, paralegals, analysts, and fiscal agents work hard every day to recover money from those who cause loss to victims and attempt to profit by committing crimes,” said Davis. “I am proud of the outstanding work all of these dedicated individuals have done over the past year. These results show they served this office, the taxpayers, and Idaho well.”

Victims of crime receive funds collected in criminal restitution cases. In fiscal year 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, through the Financial Litigation Unit, collected over $2.789 million in criminal restitution that was or will be distributed to victims of crime. Other criminal collections such as fines go into the Crime Victims Fund. From there, funds are distributed to the Idaho Crime Victims Compensation Program, the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance, and similar programs across the country. Money recovered from the illegal proceeds of criminal activity through forfeiture is returned to victims, used to offset the costs of operating federal prisons, and shared with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to help fight crime. Other recoveries go back to agency creditors.

During the fiscal year, some notable criminal restitution collections include approximately over $1 million from a defendant that embezzled from her employer, over $250,000 from a defendant that made a false claim to the United States, almost $250,000 from a defendant that committed health care fraud many years ago, approximately $173,000 from a defendant that committed fraud, and many other collections recovered from real estate sales and refinances to pay restitution.

Forfeitures valued at approximately $2,784,824, included currency, vehicles, and real property related to trafficking in controlled substances, fraud, child exploitation, and other serious crimes. Forfeitures also included approximately 91 firearms used or possessed during criminal activities. Forfeited firearms typically are destroyed, to prevent their use in future crimes. In some cases, the United States shared, or will share, seized money and property with local investigating agencies. In victim cases, the U.S. Attorney’s Office works to direct proceeds of forfeiture to crime victims.

As for civil debts and penalties, the Financial Litigation Unit collects civil penalties for violations of regulations involving, among other things, controlled substances, environmental protection, damage to federal property, and procurement fraud. It also collects civil debts for defaulted loans.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years