The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Georgia has had a lucrative fiscal year, scooping up over $31 million in criminal and civil collections, according to U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. This hefty sum is the result of a relentless pursuit to bring financial justice, Buchanan touted in a recently published statement. "This district maintains an unwavering commitment to securing financial justice for victims of crime and United States taxpayers," he declared.
Details from the U.S. Attorney's Office reveal a collection of over $22 million through their Financial Litigation Program. These funds include $8.4 million in the form of fines, restitution, and assessments slapped against defendants in criminal activities. Notably, these collections aid victims and pump money back into federal programs. The United States mandates that defendants behind certain crimes cough up restitution to the victims of those crimes, funneling fines and assessments into the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund.
Moreover, the office secured $13.7 million in affirmative civil enforcement cases, targeting fraudsters and other lawbreakers who have dipped into government coffers or flouted federal regulations. The crackdown spans a variety of sectors, focusing on healthcare, environmental and safety laws, as well as controlled substance regulations.
In their ceaseless crackdown on crime, the office has fortified the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Fund with over $9.4 million via forfeiture actions. They highlighted that out of the total, more than $3 million came from civil cases and over $6 million from criminal pursuits. These forfeited assets aren't just sitting in a vault; they're funneled back to compensate crime victims and support various law enforcement initiatives. Indeed, last fiscal year saw $343,870 returned to victims and a whopping $1.4 million shared with law enforcement comrades.
To cap it all off, the Northern District of Georgia also shared in the recovery of an impressive $1.4 billion from a settlement with UBS over alleged misconduct related to its mortgage securities operations. The settlement, stemming from the 2008 financial crisis fallout, illustrates the continued effort to hold big banks accountable. So while the fiscal year has ended, the U.S. Attorney's relentless quest to recover ill-gotten gains and bolster public and victim restitution funds carries on, making criminals pay — literally.
