The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Idaho collected more than $84 million in fines, debts, and other collections in fiscal year 2012.
U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson announced Thursday that for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, her office’s Financial Litigation Unit collected $79.3 million in civil debts, and $3.2 million in criminal fines, assessments, and restitution. In addition, the Asset Forfeiture Unit collected nearly $1.7 million in proceeds of crime from convicted criminals.
The total is the most ever collected for the District of Idaho in a single fiscal year, and is more than ten times the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s operational budget.
Of the $79.3 million collected in civil debt, $77.4 million was collected from Hecla Mining under a settlement involving the Bunker Hill Superfund site in the Coeur d’Alene Basin.
Victims of crime receive funds collected in criminal restitution cases. Other collections go into the Crime Victims Fund. From there, funds are distributed to the Idaho Crime Victims Compensation Program, the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance, and similar programs across the country.
Asset forfeitures are distributed to local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to help fight crime. Other recoveries go back to agency creditors.
