USAO collects nearly $4.5 million in restitution for victims, criminal fines, other penalties in 2023
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the office’s Financial Litigation Program, which is part of the Asset Recovery Division, collected more $3.5 million in criminal monetary penalties, which includes restitution, fines and assessments and in civil debts for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2023.
In some cases, the U.S. Attorney’s Office worked in conjunction with litigating components of the U.S. Department of Justice. Of the total collected, approximately $2 million were criminal restitution, fines, and/or assessments, and approximately $1.5 million were civil debts. In addition, the Asset Forfeiture Unit, the other part of the Asset Recovery Division, deposited to the Asset Forfeiture Fund approximately $1 million in proceeds and instruments of crime in criminal and civil forfeiture actions.
In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, through the Financial Litigation Program, collected approximately $1.9 million in criminal restitution that was or will be distributed to victims of crime. Other criminal collections such as fines go into the Crime Victims Fund. From there, funds are distributed to the Idaho Crime Victims Compensation Program, the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance, and similar programs across the country. Money recovered from the illegal proceeds of criminal activity through forfeiture is returned to victims, used to offset the costs of operating federal prisons, and shared with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to help fight crime. Other recoveries go back to agency creditors.
“Our Asset Recovery Division works tirelessly to recover money for victims and recouping the ill-gotten gains of those convicted of federal crimes in Idaho," U.S. Attorney Hurwit said. “As taxpayers, we should all be proud of the outstanding work these dedicated public servants have done over the past year.”
As for civil debts and penalties, the Financial Litigation Program collects civil penalties for violations of regulations involving, among other things, controlled substances, environmental protection, damage to federal property and procurement fraud. It also collects civil debts for defaulted loans from federal taxpayer-funded programs.
