The 2017 fiscal year was a good one for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Western New York.
U.S. Attorney James Kennedy announced Tuesday that the office recovered $17,889,000 as a result of wide‐ranging efforts in criminal, civil and asset forfeiture cases.
“[B]y bringing in more money than we are allocated each year in our budget, we accomplish our virtuous mission while giving more back to the government coffers than we receive," said Kennedy. "By any measure, ours is a highly successful business model.”
Of that amount, $7,223,745 was given to victims of crime in the past year.
The office also provided $772,000 as aid to state and local law enforcement agency partners who worked hand in hand with the office on criminal cases.
$7,477,119 was collected in affirmative civil enforcement actions. Those include proceedings involving health care fraud, government fraud, and other cases of abuse directed against the government.
In addition to recovering funds, the office also seized 167 firearms and ammunition during investigations into drugs and violent gangs. Computers and electronic devices—most related to child exploitation cases—were also forfeited.
