Department of Justice Secures More Than $2 Billion in Judgments and Settlements
as a Result of Enforcement Actions Led by the Criminal Division

WASHINGTON – In fiscal year 2010, the Department of Justice secured approximately $2.072 billion in judgments and settlements as a result of enforcement actions led by the Criminal Division, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division. This is part of a total of $3.4 billion in judgments and settlements that were secured in FY 2010 as a result of criminal matters in which the Criminal Division participated, including joint enforcement actions with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country.

“By pursuing fines against bad actors, forfeiting the proceeds of their crimes and seeking restitution to make crime victims whole, the Criminal Division, working in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, is embracing a comprehensive approach to law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.  “We are taking money out of criminals’ hands, depriving criminal organizations of the resources they need to survive, and returning those funds to crime victims and law enforcement, while also benefiting U.S. taxpayers.” 

The $2 billion in judgments and settlements secured by enforcement actions led by the Criminal Division includes over $1 billion in fines and penalties, $788 million in forfeiture and $116 million in restitution. The fines and penalties, upon payment, are provided by the department to the U.S. Treasury. Forfeiture funds are deposited in the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund or the Department of Treasury Forfeiture Fund, and are used to restore money to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. Restitution funds are distributed to victims. Federal law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.

The Criminal Division’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement involved imposition of $1 billion in penalties in FY 2010, the largest in the history of FCPA enforcement. The remaining $1 billion in Criminal Division judgments and settlements were primarily the result of other financial fraud cases brought by the Criminal Division in FY 2010, including bank settlements of substantial violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA), securities fraud and health care fraud-related recoveries, as well as judgments in child exploitation, narcotics, computer crime and organized crime cases.