U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $9,055,193 in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2020 | USAO-SDIN

Indianapolis – United States’ acting attorney John E. Childress announced today that the southern district of Indiana has collected criminal and civil claims totaling $ 9,055,193.32 in fiscal 2020. Of that amount, $ 2,195,355.91 was raised in criminal proceedings and $ 6,859,837.41 in civil lawsuits.

The Department of Justice raised more than $ 15.9 billion in civil and criminal law actions in fiscal 2020, which ends September 30, 2020. The $ 15,988,516,670 collections are more than five times the roughly $ 3.2 billion budget allocated to the US Department of Justice’s 94 law firms and institutes for key litigation departments. The total includes all funds raised as a result of Justice Department-led enforcement efforts and negotiated civil settlements. It includes payments of more than $ 13.5 billion made directly to the Department of Justice and indirect payments of more than $ 2.4 billion to other federal agencies, states, and other designated recipients.

“The Civil Department and Asset Recovery Unit of the Southern District of Indiana have some of the best federal attorneys and support staff in the country,” said Childress. “They work tirelessly every day to protect Hoosiers and their resources. It is very gratifying to return more than $ 9 million to the victims of these criminal and civil cases. This agency is committed to enforcing federal law and holding accountable those who choose to harm our citizens. “

The U.S. law firms, along with the Department’s litigation departments, are responsible for the enforcement and recovery of civil and criminal debts to the United States and criminal debts to victims of federal crimes. The law requires defendants to pay compensation to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered personal injury or financial loss. While a refund is being paid to the victim, fines and offenses are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes funds to government victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

The largest civil law collections came from affirmative law enforcement cases in which the United States was recovering government funds lost through fraud or other misconduct, or fined individuals and / or companies for violating federal health, safety, civil rights, or environmental laws. In addition, civil debt was collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Social Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration, and the Department of Education.

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Indiana, in collaboration with partner agencies and departments, has taken asset loss measures of $ 7,879,734 in fiscal 2020. Forfeited assets deposited with the Department of Justice’s Loss of Assets Fund are used to restore funds for crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

In November 2020, acting United States attorney John E. Childress renewed a strategic plan to shape and strengthen the district’s response to its key public safety challenges. This demonstrates the Office’s firm commitment to enforcing criminal charges and civil debt recovery from the United States in order to maximize recoveries from the US Treasury Department and crime victims. (See United States Law Firm, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan 6.3 and 6.4)