Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: January 16, 2007
Contact : Sue McKinney
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE COLLECTS
OVER SIX MILLION DOLLARS
United States Attorney Maxwell Wood announced today that the Middle District of Georgia collected over six million, eight hundred thousand dollars on behalf of the United States during the 2006 fiscal year which ended on September 30, 2006. The money was collected through the cooperative efforts of the employees of the civil and criminal divisions of the United States Attorney's Office, the United States Probation Office and the District Court Clerk’s Office. The primary responsibility for collection of monies falls upon the staff of the United States Attorney’s Financial Litigation Unit, which consists of Assistant United States Attorney Donald L. Johstono, Paralegal Becky Sanders, and Financial Litigation Agent Billi Gordon.
Over one-half of the money, $3.8 million, was collected on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency under its Superfund Program. A program instituted by Congress to address the immediate threats posed by hazardous substances, pollutants, and contaminants. In addition, the office engaged in litigation to collect monies due as a result of delinquent government loans, bankruptcy filings, contract violations and civil fraud against the government, including Health Care Fraud.
More than one and one-half million dollars was collected through the enforcement of monetary penalties imposed upon convicted criminals. In a related area, over $650,000 worth of property involved in or derived from certain criminal activity was forfeited through the efforts of the United States Attorney’s Asset Forfeiture Unit. In many of the forfeiture cases, a substantial portion of the monies are shared with local law enforcement agencies to provide financial support for their law enforcement programs.
Wood stated, “ the United States Attorney’s Office works diligently with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to redistribute collected monies resulting from illegal gains back into our communities. We view this as a major responsibility in serving our citizens ”
Contact Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office at (478) 621-2602 with questions concerning this matter.
