MADISON, WIS. – U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea announced today that the Western District of Wisconsin collected $7,596,171.74 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $5,862,991.16 was collected in criminal actions and $1,733,180.58 was collected in civil actions.
“Collecting money owed to crime victims and to the United States in criminal and civil cases is a priority of our office,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “Our collections program is committed to holding defendants financially accountable for their illegal activities and ensuring that their debts, particularly to victims, are paid.”
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.