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Criminal and Civil Division Units

Criminal Division Units

Appeals Unit

The Appeals Unit is responsible for reviewing and approving all appellate briefs for the Criminal Division before they are filed. The Appeals Unit advises the United States Attorney on the merits of any proposed government appeal and advises Assistant U.S. Attorneys on legal issues.

Health Care Fraud Unit

The Health Care Fraud Unit investigates and prosecutes complex health care fraud committed by corporate and individual defendants, including, but not limited to, independent clinical laboratories, outpatient dialysis providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical device manufacturers, hospitals, ambulance service providers, doctors, pharmacists, and other medical providers.

Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit

Established in August 2022 , the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit investigates and prosecutes criminal violations of federally protected civil rights and liberties. The unit focuses on cases involving allegations of sex trafficking, labor trafficking, hate crimes, and misconduct committed by individuals while acting under the color of law. The unit works closely with the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Unit to protect constitutional rights and enforce federal statutes.

Major Crimes Unit

The Major Crimes Unit’s caseload covers a wide range of federal criminal violations such as arson, explosives, firearms offenses, bank robberies, sexual exploitation of children and obscenity matters, assaults on federal officials and crimes on federal reservations, customs offenses, currency counterfeiting, internal and external postal matters, federal regulatory and program offenses, and theft cases.

Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit

The Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit investigates and prosecutes drug cases and drug-related offenses, with emphasis on major illegal drug trafficking organizations. The Unit includes Assistant U.S. Attorneys and coordinators from DEA, FBI, IRS, INS, ATF, Customs and the U.S. Marshals Service. The Unit's Regional Coordinator is responsible for working with other Narcotics and Money Laundering Units located in the U.S. Attorney's Offices in the five other New England states.

National Security Unit

The National Security Unit handles anti-terrorism investigations, as well as those involving breaches of national security, such as espionage and munitions smuggling cases. In addition, the members of the National Security Unit are responsible for the operation of the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council and administer the Critical Incident Response Plan and the National Security and International Affairs program.

Organized Crime and Gang Unit

The Organized Crime and Gang Unit investigates and prosecutes extortion, loan sharking, racketeering and other federal crimes committed by organized crime groups in Massachusetts. Cases include traditional organized crime families (e.g., the Mafia), Asian gangs, Russian organized crime groups, and other nontraditional organized crime groups. The Unit has also traditionally handled the office's labor racketeering cases.

Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit

The Public Corruption & Special Prosecution Unit (PCU) works to preserve and uphold the integrity of the government.  PCU handles a wide-range of public corruption matters involving the investigation and prosecution of bribery, extortion, fraud, embezzlement, and theft of public monies committed by elected/appointed officials, government employees, and those doing business with local, state, and federal government agencies.

Securities, Financial and Cyber Fraud Unit

This unit investigates and prosecutes a breadth of complex financial and cyber fraud cases. These include securities fraud, bank fraud, advance fee schemes, tax offenses, commercial bribery, intellectual property and copyright infringement, hacking and cyberstalking. The unit utilizes the expertise of a Financial Auditor to trace complex financial transactions. 

Civil Division Units

Affirmative Civil Enforcement

The Civil Division devotes roughly half of its resources to its Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) program. ACE seeks to enforce federal regulatory requirements and to recover damages against those who submit false claims or commit fraud against the government. The majority of cases are brought to enforce the federal False Claims Act, with a significant portion of this work devoted to pursuing health care fraud.  Some of the cases are initiated by private citizens who may bring suit on behalf of the United States in appropriate circumstances. ACE cases also include prosecutions for fraud in government procurements and actions to enforce the nation's environmental and civil rights laws.

Asset Recovery Unit

The Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) investigates and prosecutes both civil and criminal cases that involve the possible forfeiture of real property, currency, vehicles, and other items of value. The Unit is also responsible for recovering monies owed the government and pursues legal proceedings to enforce criminal fines, restitution orders, and civil judgments. ARU works to enhance cooperation among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies by fairly distributing the forfeited assets.

Civil Rights Unit

Established in February 2016, the mission of the Civil Rights Unit is to protect constitutional rights and to enforce federal civil rights statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation, religion, disability, military status, and other protected characteristics in the areas of education, housing, transportation, and employment, among others.

Defensive Litigation

Civil AUSAs defend the United States and its agencies in a range of civil suits brought against the government. Such defensive cases include suits under the Federal Tort Claims Act; allegations of discrimination in federal employment; challenges to agency actions and government procurement under the Administrative Procedure Act; appeals under the Social Security Act; suits seeking the release of records under the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act; and the defense of government officials sued in their individual capacities.

 

Updated May 18, 2023