Offenses that trigger federal forfeiture
arranged alphabetically by topic A-G

Go to:   | A | B | C | D | E | F | G |


Last update May 24, 2008

Note:  A large number of forfeiture statutes are stand-alone statutes, prescribing forfeiture as a penalty for a single offense or related group of offenses.  Other forfeitable offenses have been added by incorporating by reference other statutes listing numerous offenses.   The largest number of the incorporated by reference statutes were incorporated through 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C), which incorporates by reference "any offense constituting 'specified unlawful activity' as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 1956(c)(7)(B).  Section
1956(c)(7)(B) names numerous specific criminal statutes and incorporates by reference the racketeering offenses listed in 18 U.S.C. § 1961(1), which in turn lists a large number of specific criminal statutes as well as several broad categories of crimes.  Any crimes from those lists can be prosecuted as a civil forfeiture under § 981. 

Many of the same offenses listed in § 981 trigger criminal forfeiture under statutes incorporated by reference in 18 U.S.C. § 982.   Additionally, any civil forfeiture statute which does not have a criminal forfeiture counterpart -- either under a specific criminal forfeiture statute or § 982 -- can be prosecuted as a criminal forfeiture under 28 U.S.C. § 2461. 
* denotes criminal statutes added by 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)
** denotes criminal statutes incorporated by reference as "specified unlawful activities" in 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(a)(1)(C) & 1956(c)(7)
*** denotes criminal statutes incorporated by reference as "racketeering offenses" in 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(a)(1)(C), 1956(c)(7) & 1961(1)


Agriculture
Aircraft and airports

Animals

Antitrust

Archeological treasures
 Automobiles
Banking
Bankruptcy
Cigarettes, contraband
Copyright and Trademark Infringement
Counterfeiting
Currency Transaction Reporting Violations
Customs and Import/Export violations  (see also Smuggling)
Drug Offenses
Espionage

Explosives
Extortion, racketeering - (See also Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations)
Firearms
Fish & Game
Forgery
Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act
Fraud
Gambling
Government agencies, officials and employees

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