U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $4.7 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 22

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. - U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe announced Tuesday the Southern District of Illinois has collected $4,699,850.01 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $2,525,112.94 was collected in criminal actions and $2,174,737.07 was collected in civil actions. 

Additionally, the Southern District of Illinois worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,874,109.81 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $63,747.79 was collected in criminal actions and $1,810,362.02 was collected in civil actions.         

“Federal prosecutors and financial litigation staff worked tirelessly throughout the last fiscal year to collect millions of dollars in restitution from individuals charged with fraud and other illegal activities,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The funds directly support crime victims regain a sense of normalcy and offer assistance to law enforcement officers with their efforts to apprehend criminals.”

Across the nation, the U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the department’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 collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

The office worked with partner agencies and divisions to also collect $544,705 in asset forfeiture actions. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and a variety of law enforcement purposes.