Criminal Forfeiture and Seizure

Asset forfeiture is a term that commonly refers to the legal process through which government agencies are able to target illegally obtained financial resources, personal property, and other items of value for confiscation and seizure. Two broad types of asset forfeiture procedures are commonly recognized: criminal asset forfeiture and civil asset forfeiture. Criminal forfeiture refers to the process whereby the government attempts to seize illegally obtained proceeds or property in conjunction with, or subsequent to, a directly related criminal prosecution or conviction. In cases of criminal forfeiture, the individual is the actual target of the governmental action and the proceeds or items targeted for seizure are subject to confiscation in conjunction with the action brought against the individual. In essence, the individual's criminal prosecution and ...