KNOXVILLE — U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III announced today that the Eastern District of Tennessee collected $21,152,087.34 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $19,177,199.71 was collected in criminal actions and $1,974,887.63 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, working with partner agencies, collected $8,279,549 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2022.

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 U.S. 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. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.