U.S. Attorney’s Office For The District Of Nevada Collects Over $8.6 Million In Civil And Criminal Actions In Fiscal Year 2020 | USAO-NV

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – U.S. attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich announced today that the Nevada District raised $ 8,674,644.74 in criminal and civil lawsuits in fiscal 2020. Of that amount, $ 2,837,891.57 was raised in criminal proceedings and $ 5,836,753.17 in civil actions.

“These significant collections reflect the dedication and dedication of our financial disputes department, asset deterioration department, and other members of our civil department,” said US attorney Trutanich. “In the course of 2020 we have further expanded our coordination with law enforcement authorities and other debt collection partners. It is an honor for us to be able to provide these funds, among other things, for the compensation of victims and the support of victims.”

The U.S. law firms, along with the Justice 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 ministry’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds raised to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Some of the highlights of the Nevada District’s 2020 fiscal year collection efforts include:

• Trixa Belloso-Rivas has been convicted of conspiracy to file fraudulent tax return information and has been sentenced to pay $ 2,000,100 in restitution. In consultation with the US Probation Service, our office became aware that Belloso-Rivas would receive compensation for personal injury. Our Financial Litigation Unit successfully enforced its restitution judgment and lien on the settlement proceeds and received over $ 320,000 for the outstanding refund amount.
• Gareth Long was charged and found guilty of fraud and aggravated identity theft after depositing unauthorized checks on his bank account from more than 375,000 victims. When convicted, the court ordered a fine of $ 11,224,404.31, of which $ 3,621,523.09 was forfeited.

In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Nevada District, in collaboration with partner agencies and departments, has taken asset forfeiture measures in fiscal 2020 for $ 6,592,713.24. Forfeited assets deposited with the Department of Justice’s Asset Management Fund are used to restore funds for crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

In total, the Department of Justice raised more than $ 15.9 billion in civil and criminal justice in fiscal 2020, which ended September 30, 2020. The collections of $ 15,988,516,670 are more than five times the budget of approximately $ 3.2 billion litigation departments of the Department of Justice for the 94 US law firms and headquarters. 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.

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