U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Over $10 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2025

All U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States, as well as criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.

United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Tom Wheeler, announced that the United States Attorney’s Office (the Office) collected more than $10 million in asset forfeiture and financial litigation debt in fiscal year 2025.

Of this total:

• $2.6 million was recovered in criminal restitution debts and forfeiture actions
• $7.4 million was collected in civil actions to enforce debts.

Additional highlights underscoring the Office’s commitment to public safety and justice include:

• $1.8 million collected from criminal defendants who forfeited the proceeds and tools of their crimes.
• $755,000 recovered through seizures connected to interdictions and other criminal investigations resulting in civil forfeiture actions.
• A substantial portion of these funds distributed to local law enforcement agencies, strengthening their ability to combat crime.
• $1 million in forfeited funds restored directly to victims, ensuring they received meaningful restitution.

  

All U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States, as well as criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law also requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is directed to victims, criminal fines and felony assessments are deposited into the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund, which supports federal and state victim compensation and assistance programs nationwide.

“These results demonstrate how asset forfeiture not only disrupts criminal activity but also provides critical resources to law enforcement and, most importantly, delivers justice to victims,” said U.S. Attorney Wheeler. “We are proud to have partnered with so many local, state, and federal agencies, and we will continue to hold accountable those who seek to profit from their illegal activities.”

U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelese Woods, Chief of the Office’s Civil Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Rota, Chief of the Office’s Asset Recovery Unit, along with the Office’s dedicated support professionals- Shannon Stewart, Natoyia Sims and Jennifer Ross- and contractors Amanda Alexander and Teaune Trice. Their diligent efforts have been instrumental in upholding the law, holding wrongdoers accountable, and recovering funds for victims of crime.