MADISON, WIS. – Acting U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma announced today that the Western District of Wisconsin collected $4,172,836 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $3,269,903 was collected in criminal actions and $902,933 was collected in civil actions.Additionally, the Western District of Wisconsin worked with other U.S.
Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $58,199 in criminal actions pursued jointly by these offices.Acting U.S. Attorney Elgersma thanked the dedicated attorneys and support professionals who work on collection and forfeiture matters in the Western District of Wisconsin, “Their diligent efforts have been instrumental in upholding the law, holding wrongdoers accountable, and recovering funds for victims of crime.”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.Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Wisconsin, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $414,632 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.