Asset Forfeiture

"Asset Forfeiture" refers to the process of confiscating money and property that represent either proceeds of crimes, or property used in the commission of crimes. Forfeiture is an important deterrent to criminal conduct and facilitates restitution in criminal cases that involve victims who have suffered losses.
 
The Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section supports the Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Criminal Division who prosecute money laundering cases, and/or are seeking the forfeiture of criminal proceeds and other property as part of the sentence in a criminal case. The attorneys and paralegals in the Section also handle their own case load of criminal and civil forfeiture cases. Civil forfeiture may be pursued when property is subject to forfeiture apart from a federal criminal case.
 
In order to seize assets, a law enforcement officer must sign an affidavit under oath and satisfy a federal judge that there is a lawful basis for the seizure. 
 
Some asset forfeiture cases involve illegal-source income, where the suspect obtained the money by committing a crime.  Some of these cases have victims who deserve restitution – such as victims of fraud or theft.  Others have no victims who receive restitution, such as drug dealing.
 
Other asset forfeiture cases involve legal-source income, that is, where the suspect earned the money lawfully, then violated the law by trying to conceal the cash.  Illegal structuring crimes are prosecuted when warranted and can be proven beyond any reasonable doubt.  Usually those cases involve tax fraud.  In those cases, the victims include citizens deprived of tax revenue and businesses that have higher overhead because they play by the rules.
 
Some cases do not warrant federal criminal prosecution, but there is sufficient evidence for a civil forfeiture.
 
For examples of recent asset forfeiture prosecutions in Maryland, click on these links:
 
 
Structuring

2015

• Two “Pill Mill” Operators and a Medical Director Admit to Scheme to Distribute Oxycodone Without a Medical Need

2014

• Owner of a Reisterstown Business Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Tax Evasion
• Baltimore Bank Ordered To Forfeit $560,000 For Failing To File Currency Transaction Reports On Drug Proceeds Laundered Through The Bank

Forfeiture &/or Money Laundering

2016

• Bowie Drug Trafficker Convicted for $108 Million Drug Distribution and Money Laundering Conspiracies
• Leaders of a Baltimore Drug Organization Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Over 1,000 Kilograms of Marijuana and to Launder Drug Proceeds

2015

• Former Russian Nuclear Energy Official Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act 
• Two “Pill Mill” Operators and a Medical Director Admit to Scheme to Distribute Oxycodone Without a Medical Need
• Maryland Owner of Loan Brokerage Firms Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Fraud and Obstruction of Justice
• Maryland U. S. Attorney’s Office Collects Over $155 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in FY 2015
• Defendant Sentenced to Prison for Procurement Fraud, Embezzling Employee Benefits and Evading Taxes 
• Sykesville Business Owner Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison in $11 Million Fraud Scheme
• Defendant Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Three Fraud Schemes
• Leader of Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Creating and Using Counterfeit Checks to Buy Merchandise and Gift Cards
• Baltimore Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for a Drug Distribution Conspiracy and for Bribing Letter Carriers to Divert Packages Containing Marijuana
• Business Owner Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining More than $2.6 Million in Government Contracts
• Conspirator Sentenced To 30 Months in Prison for Conspiracies to Pass Counterfeit Money and Launder Money
• D.C. Area Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Drug Distribution and Money Laundering Conspiracies
• Baltimore Bank Ordered To Forfeit $560,000 For Failing To File Currency Transaction Reports On Drug Proceeds Laundered Through The Bank

2014

• Food Service Company Manager Indicted On Charges Of Embezzling Over $400,000 In Customer Payments
• Husband Sentenced In $3.7 Million Advance Fee Scheme
• Cocaine Dealer In St. Mary’s County Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison
• Odenton Man Sentenced To Prison For Laundering More Than $1.5 Million In Scheme To Steal Waste Vegetable Oil
• Former Executives Of U.S. Corporation Extradited From Britain To Face Federal Fraud Charges In Maryland
• Title Company Manager Sentenced To Over 4 Years In Prison For $4.8 Million Mortgage Fraud Scheme
• Allegany County Business Owners Agree To Forfeit Almost $174,000 To Settle Allegations That They Sold Synthetic Drugs
• Over $56.6 Million Forfeited In E-Gold Accounts Involved In Criminal Offenses
• Anne Arundel County Drug Dealer Sentenced To Over 17 Years In Prison
• Maryland U. S. Attorney’s Office Collects Over $143 Million In Civil And Criminal Actions For U.S. Taxpayers In FY2013
• Former Prince George’s County Police Officer Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Conspiracy To Distribute Untaxed Cigarettes And Cocaine, And Gun Charges
• Sonar Club Owner Who Helped Supervise A Baltimore Drug Organization Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison
• Jamaican Drug Dealer Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison
• Baltimore Drug Dealer Sentenced In Money Laundering Scheme