The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah has reported substantial fiscal gains, securing over $12.9 million through their diligent enforcement of civil, and criminal actions in the 2024 fiscal year. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins stated that $8,385,272.13 of the collected funds were attributed to criminal actions, while $4,568,745.08 came from civil actions.
Working in collaboration with other districts and the Department of Justice, the Utah office also pooled an extra $2,978,609.99 from jointly pursued cases. This was a combined effort among U.S. Attorney’s Offices and included a mere $12,350.00 in criminal actions, alongside a more substantial $2,966,259.99 in civil actions. These recovered funds stand as a testament to the commitment of the legal system to holding individuals accountable for their actions against both federal law and crime victims.
An example of the cases contributing to this fiscal recuperation involves a Washington County man, who in fiscal year 2024, completed his restitution payments totaling $2,139,926.35, part of a 2022 court order to pay 3.2 million dollars. The man's sentence of 33 months’ imprisonment came after he failed to file required financial reports with the United States Treasury upon re-entering the U.S. from China with more than $10,000 in currency. Another case saw a Utah businessman, involved in the smartphone company SAYGUS, sentenced to imprisonment and hit with a restitution order of $10,250,834.53 after he admitted to executing a multi-million dollar scheme defrauding investors.
In addition to the restitution and recovery efforts, asset forfeiture played a key role in the U.S. Attorney’s financial achievements. The office collected $4,625,653 in this category during FY 2024. These assets, once forfeited, are pumped into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund, which primarily aims to compensate crime victims and support various law enforcement initiatives. Thus, reflecting the broader priorities and responsibilities of the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, in enforcing justice and extending relief to those impacted by criminal activities.
