United States Attorney David B. Barlow

District of Utah

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       MELODIE RYDALCH

FRIDAY, DEC 21, 2012                                                                (801) 325-3206

U. S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE COLLECTS $31,373,879.25
THROUGH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL ACTIONS IN FY 2012

SALT LAKE CITY -- U.S. Attorney David B. Barlow announced Monday that the District of Utah collected $31,373,879.25 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 related to criminal and civil actions.  Of this amount, $4,076,348.35 was collected in criminal actions and $27,297,530.90 was collected in civil actions.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office is responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and restitution owed to federal crime victims.
Additionally, the office forfeited assets totaling $5,184,414 in FY 2012.  This figure includes assets that were forfeited and are in the process of being sold; assets that were sold and paid as restitution to crime victims; assets that were forfeited and later destroyed (firearms, computers); and forfeiture funds shared with local law enforcement agencies.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office provided a total of $2,633,048 in forfeited funds to crime victims for restitution and to local law enforcement agencies who participated in the prosecution of federal cases. Asset forfeiture is an effective deterrent to crime and is used to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that attempt to profit from their unlawful activity and to restore property to crime victims. 

U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, along with the Department of Justice’s litigating divisions, collected $3.035 billion in restitution, criminal fines, and felony assessments. Additionally, $10.12 billion was collected in civil actions.

  “During this time of continuing economic recovery, these collections are more important than ever,” said U.S. Attorney David B. Barlow.  “We take our responsibility to recover funds for the federal treasury and for victims of federal crime very seriously.  We will also continue to hold accountable those who seek to profit from their illegal activities.”

The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or a financial loss.  While restitution is paid directly to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to DOJ’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Civil collections come from affirmative civil enforcements cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts are collected on behalf of federal agencies.

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