United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office collected $25,434,282 in asset forfeiture and financial litigation debt in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $15,244,637 was collected through asset forfeiture actions and $10,189,645 was collected through civil and criminal debt collection actions. 

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting the public and recovering funds for the victims of federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “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 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 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.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Civil Division Chief Shelese Woods and Asset Recovery Unit Chief Kelly Rota, as well as the Office’s outstanding attorneys and support professionals for their diligent efforts to uphold the law, hold wrongdoers accountable, and recover funds for victims of crime.