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U.S. Attorney Zachary Myers announced Wednesday that the Indiana Southern District’s Office Asset Recovery Unit collected $33.8 million in asset forfeiture and financial litigation debt in 2024.
Of this amount, $18.8 million was collected through enforcement of criminal restitution debts and civil collections, and $15 million resulted from criminal and civil forfeiture actions.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting the public and recovering funds for the victims of crime,” Myers said in a press release. “We are proud to have partnered with so many local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to compensate victims and hold criminals financially accountable.”
The office collected more than $25 million in asset forfeiture and financial litigation debt in fiscal year 2023.
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 crime victims in federal cases.
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.
Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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