U.S. Attorney Edward Tarver announced today that the Southern District of Georgia collected over $19.4 million in civil, criminal and asset forfeiture actions during the 2016 calendar year. Of this amount, $15,694,972.37 was collected in affirmative civil enforcement actions; $2,798,814.88 was collected in criminal actions; and, $949,712.44 in assets were forfeited.
U.S. Attorney Tarver stated, “The amounts of money collected in criminal, civil and asset forfeiture actions by the men and women of the United States Attorney’s Office in 2016 are enough to pay this Office’s yearly budget several times over. This Office earns its keep and then some.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department of Justice’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Forfeited assets are deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund and are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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