U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky Collects Over $17 Million in Fiscal Year 2023

Louisville, KY- U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office collected more than $17.17 million in Fiscal Year 2023, including $11,887,384.70 in civil actions, $3,786,402.45 in criminal cases, and $1,456,855 in asset forfeiture matters. The District also worked with other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $39,419.63 in jointly-pursued criminal cases.

“Our pursuit of justice does not end when the court proceedings are over,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Our Office is committed to collecting restitution for victims of crime and monies owed to federal, state, and local agencies. That commitment is evidenced by our tremendous recoveries in the last fiscal year. I commend the work of our collection teams and their dogged dedication to uncovering every possible dollar for crime victims and federal agencies.”

Notable criminal restitution recoveries within the Western District of Kentucky include $250,100 from the voluntary liquidation of real property in United States v. Mackie Shelton, Case No. 1:21-cr-16-2 and $204,817.69 in forfeited funds in United States v. Hatem Kaisi, Case No. 3:18-cr-215.

Significant civil recoveries include the collection of over $1,750,000 from providers who received kickbacks for ordering medically unnecessary lab tests and a final $6 million settlement payment in a False Claims Act settlement in United States, ex rel. v. Agendia, Inc., Case No. 5:15-cv-50.

The Office also recovered more than $2.6 million for federal agencies in bankruptcies and judicial foreclosures and worked to forfeit $1,270,163 to the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund, which will be used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States 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 directly to victims, 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.

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