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Treasury Forfeiture Fund

ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT

Fiscal Year 2017

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

 Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants 

 

 

 

Certified Public Accountants

& Consultants
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Message from the Director

I am pleased to present the fiscal year (FY) 2017 Accountability Report for the Treasury Forfeiture Fund (the 

Fund). While highlighting the Fund’s financial and operational performance over the past year, this report also 

focuses on some of the significant investigative achievements of our participating law enforcement agencies 

this year. FY 2017 was another challenging year with a rescission of $1.3 billion as part of the Consolidated

Appropriations Act of 2017 (P.L. 115-31), with $314 million of that amount permanently rescinded.

Additionally, $96 million was sequestered as part of the government-wide sequestration order. In terms of 

overall revenue, FY 2017 was another highly successful year for the law enforcement bureaus participating in 

the Treasury Forfeiture Fund, with earned revenue of $508 million deposited to the Fund.

The continued high-impact performance of the Fund reflects the ongoing hard work of our law enforcement 

bureaus as well as Fund management’s emphasis on major case initiatives, asset forfeiture program training 

and a focused approach regarding our performance measure, which gauges revenue from high-impact cases. 

The mission of the Fund is to affirmatively influence the consistent and strategic use of asset forfeiture by our 

law enforcement bureaus to disrupt and dismantle criminal enterprises. It is our view that the greatest damage 

to criminal enterprises can be achieved through large forfeitures; hence we have set a target level of 80 percent 

of our forfeitures to be high-impact, i.e., cash forfeitures equal to or greater than $100,000. This target level is 

up from 75 percent set for FY 2010 and prior years. For FY 2017, our member bureaus exceeded the target 

with a performance level of 82 percent. 

In FY 2017, the Fund continued prioritizing the support of law enforcement efforts targeting Third Party 

Money Laundering Networks (3PML). This is a critically important investigative area aimed at dismantling 

the financial infrastructure of major criminal enterprises. The Fund continues to provide resources to enhance 

the analytical and operational capabilities of 3PML cases, as well as to their supporting infrastructure. In union 

with this initiative, the Fund conducted a seminar on 3PML issues in Tampa, FL, specifically for Department 

of Homeland Security employees consisting of mid-level and front line managers and agents involved in HSI’s 

extensive and continuously growing 3PML initiative. The topics included 3PML typologies involving noncompliant banks and financial institutions, prosecutorial best practices in these types of 3PML cases, and

educating the audience on the resources available to member agencies involved in 3PML efforts. 

This fiscal year, the Fund was able to provide $41 million in Strategic Support (SS) funding to its member 

agencies for their priority initiatives, after two consecutive years without SS due to large rescissions. This 

funding enabled Treasury Forfeiture Fund agencies to advance their operations and infrastructure by obtaining 

cutting edge technology, IT systems, and analytical capabilities, especially in such critical and fast-developing 

areas as computer and mobile forensics, big data analytics, and cyber investigations.

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund continues in its capacity as a successful multi-Departmental Fund representing 

the interests of law enforcement components of the Departments of the Treasury and Homeland Security. 

Member bureaus include the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the U.S. Secret 

Service (USSS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) continues its close working relationship with the legacy Customs bureaus. We 

look forward to another successful year in FY 2018. 

John Farley, Director 

Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture

U.S. Department of the Treasury
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Table of Contents

Section I: Overview

Profile of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund...............................................................................1

Strategic Mission and Vision...............................................................................................1

Case Highlights....................................................................................................................2

Program and Fund Highlights............................................................................................10

Program Performance ........................................................................................................11

Financial Statement Highlights..........................................................................................13

Section II: Independent Auditor’s Reports

Independent Auditor’s Report on Financial Statements....................................................18

Independent Auditor’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting...................21

Independent Auditor’s Report on Compliance and Other Matters....................................23

Section III: Financial Statements and Notes

Financial Statements:

Balance Sheets.............................................................................................................25

Statements of Net Cost.................................................................................................26

Statements of Changes in Net Position........................................................................27

Statements of Budgetary Resources.............................................................................28

Notes to Financial Statements......................................................................................29

Section IV:

Required Supplemental Information........................................................................................47

Section V:

Other Accompanying Information...........................................................................................49
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SECTION I - OVERVIEW 1

Treasury Forfeiture Fund

FY 2017 Management Overview

Profile of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund (the Fund) is the receipt account for the deposit of non-tax forfeitures made 

pursuant to laws enforced or administered by law enforcement bureaus that participate in the Treasury 

Forfeiture Fund. The Fund was established in October of 1992 as the successor to the Forfeiture Fund of 

the United States Customs Service. The Fund is a “special receipt account.” This means the Fund can 

provide money to other federal entities toward the accomplishment of a specific objective for which the 

recipient bureaus are authorized to spend money and toward other authorized expenses. The use of Fund 

resources is governed by law, policy and precedent as interpreted and implemented by the Department of 

the Treasury, which manages the Fund. A key objective for management is the long-term viability of the 

Fund to ensure that there are ongoing resources to support member-bureau seizure and forfeiture activities 

well into the future. The emphasis of Fund management is on high impact cases that can do the most 

damage to criminal infrastructure.

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund continues in its capacity as a multi-Departmental Fund, representing the 

interests of law enforcement components of the Departments of Treasury and Homeland Security. Our 

member bureaus include the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation (IRS- CI), the U.S. Secret 

Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The 

U.S. Coast Guard continues its close working relationship with the legacy Customs bureaus and 

functions in a member-bureau capacity.

The Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture (TEOAF), which provides management oversight of 

the Fund, falls under the auspices of the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. 

TEOAF’s organizational structure includes the Fund Director, Legal Counsel, and three Assistant 

Directors for; Financial Management, Policy & Administration, and Strategic Planning. Functional 

responsibilities are delegated to various team leaders. TEOAF is located in Washington, D.C., and 

currently has 27 authorized full time equivalent positions.

Strategic Mission

The mission of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund is to affirmatively influence the consistent and strategic use 

of asset forfeiture by law enforcement bureaus that participate in the Treasury Forfeiture Fund to disrupt 

and dismantle criminal enterprises. 

Strategic Vision

Fund management works to focus the asset forfeiture program on strategic cases and investigations that 

result in high-impact forfeitures. Management believes this approach incurs the greatest damage to 

criminal organizations while accomplishing the ultimate objective – to disrupt and dismantle criminal 

enterprises.
2 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Case Highlights

The following case highlights are intended to give the reader an idea of the types of investigative cases 

worked by the Fund’s law enforcement bureaus during FY 2017 that resulted in the seizure and forfeiture 

of assets. Such cases as those profiled below are consistent with the Strategic Mission and Vision of the 

Treasury Forfeiture Program, which is to use high-impact asset forfeiture in investigative cases to disrupt 

and dismantle criminal enterprises.

Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) 

Department of the Treasury 

Guam Construction Company Forfeits $1,875,407 in Visa Fraud Case

Information included in the following article is attributed to US Attorney’s March 21, 2017 press release titled, Guam 

Construction Company Byong Kang Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud and Choon Kang Sentenced for 

Conspiracy to Commit Money Launder; TEOAF records; and information from the IRS-CI liaison to TEOAF.

On December 29th, 2016, Guam Construction Company (“GCC”) criminally forfeited $1,875,407.12, as a 

result of a guilty conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud. The investigation was led by the 

Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), but was a joint effort involving local and 

federal law enforcement, including the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security 

Investigations, the U.S. Department of Labor - Wage & Hour Division, the Guam Department of Labor, 

and Guam Customs & Quarantine Agency. 

The investigation revealed that GCC and its president (Byong Hee Kang) and vice president (Choon Hee 

Kang) were intentionally misrepresenting the occupations of H-2B visa workers in an effort to 

fraudulently obtain H-2B visas. After the workers arrived in Guam, Byong Hee Kang caused GCC to 

employ them in skilled occupations not authorized on their H-2B visas. Additionally, Choon Hee Kang 

was charged with Conspiracy to Launder Money, which involved financial transactions with visa fraud 

proceeds. 

Shawn N. Anderson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, 

stated, "Maintaining the integrity of the H-2B visa program is vital to our business community. The 

Department of Justice will continue to prosecute those who seek personal enrichment through dishonest 

business practices. The forfeiture of nearly $2 million in visa fraud proceeds is a significant step toward 

accountability for corporate wrongdoers such as GCC, its President Byong Kang and former Vice 

President Choon Kang.”

In addition to the criminal forfeiture and fines against GCC and the individual defendants, Byong Hee 

Kang was sentenced to 3 years of probation with 14 months of home detention. Additionally, Choon Hee 

Kang was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release.

As a result of their instrumental support, twenty percent of the forfeited funds were shared with the Guam 

Customs and Quarantine Agency.
SECTION I - OVERVIEW 3

The case was prosecuted by Stephen F. Leon Guerrero and Belinda Alcantara, Assistant United States 

Attorneys for the District of Guam.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

Customs and Border Protection Seizes $289,930 From Bulk Cash Smuggler

Information included in the following forfeiture article is attributed to: Information provided by the CBP Liaison to TEOAF; 

TEOAF internal records.

 

On the morning of December 16, 2016, a Border Patrol Agent assigned to anti-smuggling duties became 

suspicious of the driver of a vehicle as it traveled down the interstate. The agent observed the driver of 

the vehicle exhibit behavior consistent with criminal activity. Having probable cause, the agent 

conducted a stop and the vehicle yielded without incident.

The driver provided the agent with inconsistent statements about his journey and was shaking 

uncontrollably. Upon gaining consent to search the vehicle from its driver, the agent’s canine partner 

alerted to a plastic paint bucket contained within the trunk. It was discovered that the bucket contained 

$290,030. The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody and charged with bulk cash smuggling. After 

removing a counterfeit $100 bill, the remaining $289,930 was forfeited on May 11, 2017.

Figure 1: Top Left: the plastic bucket used to hide the cash; Top Right: $290,030 in bulk cash; Lower Left: the trunk 

encountered by CBP officers; Lower Right: the vehicle used to smuggle the cash.

Customs and Border Protection Seizes $618,975 From Bulk Cash Smuggler

Information included in the following forfeiture article is attributed to: Information provided by the CBP Liaison to TEOAF; 

TEOAF internal records.
4 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

On February 27, 2017, members of the Miami Seaport Anti-Terrorism and Contraband Enforcement 

Team (A-TCET) and a Hallandale Beach Police Department Currency/Patrol Dog Unit were conducting 

an outbound vessel search on a ship allegedly heading to Port de Paix, Haiti. Prior to the commencement 

of the vessel search, each crew member aboard the vessel was asked if he was transporting in excess of 

$10,000 USD or foreign equivalent for himself or for someone else. 

During the course of the vessel search, a CBP Officer utilized his canine to search the vessel cabin. The 

CBP Officer received a positive alert at the bunk and drawer area of the cabin from his canine partner. A 

detailed search of the cabin was conducted and a burlap sack, wrapped in clear tape was found under the 

bunk. In order to get to the burlap sack, the mattress, plywood support and several drawers needed to be 

removed. Inside the burlap sack was a carry-on type of luggage and handbag. The luggage and handbag 

contained $618,975, which was seized pursuant to Title 31 USC for bulk cash smuggling and evasion of 

the reporting requirements. The currency was administratively forfeited by CBP on July 6th, 2017.

Radiation Scanner Helps Locate Over Two Million in Hidden Cash 

Information included in the following forfeiture article is attributed to: Information provided by the CBP Liaison to TEOAF; 

TEOAF internal records.

On September 29, 2014, a CBP Officer selected a 2007 Isuzu commercial truck for secondary inspection 

due to some anomalies on the chassis. The officer had detected the anomalies through the use of a mobile 

radiation scanner. The driver declared that he was carrying about $2,800. The currency reporting 

requirement was explained in his native language, Spanish, and signed by his passenger. After a physical 

count of the money, a total of $2,465 was declared as the funds on his possession. CBP officers proceeded 

to physically inspect the truck in the area with anomalies by off-loading all of the truck’s cargo and 

exposing the selected area. The officers then dismantled the cargo area floor, and discovered 22 bundles 

containing $2,041,910 of U.S. currency concealed on the chassis area of the cargo compartment in the 

truck. A total of $2,044,375 and was seized for violations of Title 31 USC, bulk cash smuggling, and Title 

18 USC, for laundering of monetary instruments. 

On October 26, 2016, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico issued a final judicial 

forfeiture for the forfeiture of the seized currency in the amount of $2,044,375. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 

Department of Homeland Security 

Homeland Security Investigations Forfeits $1,780,801 from Drug Trafficking Organization

Information included in the following forfeiture article is attributed to: Information provided by the HSI Liaison to TEOAF; 

TEOAF internal records.

In March of 2014, the HSI Philadelphia HIDTA Financial Investigations Group received information 

about a money laundering and drug trafficking organization (MLO/DTO) run by a U.S. citizen operating 

in the Philadelphia area. The MLO/DTO was distributing large quantities of marijuana out of Philadelphia 
SECTION I - OVERVIEW 5

to several large cities on the east coast. The organization used various methods to launder the proceeds of 

the marijuana sales along the east coast. 

During the course of the investigation, agents were able to identify several individuals involved in the 

transportation of narcotics and U.S. currency, as well as the location of several stash houses in the 

Philadelphia area. As a result, in November 2014, agents seized $1,780,801 in bulk cash packed in 

luggage from two couriers. Search warrants of the stash houses resulted in the seizure of over 900 pounds 

of marijuana.

The currency was forfeited on October 26, 2016. The leaders of the MLO/DTO have been indicted, and 

are currently fugitives from justice. 

e

Figure 2: $1,780,801 in bulk cash packed in three pieces of luggage, which was seized from two couriers.

 
6 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Homeland Security Investigations Seizes $1Million and Airplane From Bulk Cash Smugglers

Information included in the following forfeiture article is attributed to: Information provided by the HSI Liaison to TEOAF; 

TEOAF internal records.

In March of 2016, Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Baltimore office was requested to assist with 

the investigation of an international narcotics smuggling and money laundering organization (MLO). The 

MLO was using small aircraft to transport bulk currency and narcotics throughout the United States.

The Baltimore Port Investigations Group received information that a Beech Jet 400 was scheduled to 

arrive at Martin State Airport, in Middle River, Maryland, and that the plane would be used by couriers to 

smuggle the cash proceeds of narcotics sales from the Eastern United States. HSI Baltimore established 

surveillance at the airport and identified the plane when it arrived. Search warrants were obtained from 

Maryland District Court for the plane and luggage. HSI Baltimore Special Agents and Task Officers 

subsequently searched the plane, and found $1,039,205 in bulk currency. 

Both the currency and the airplane were seized. The currency was forfeited on November 30th, 2016. A 

civil lawsuit, motioning for the return of property, has been filed for the Beech Jet 400. Forfeiture of the 

aircraft depends on the outcome of the lawsuit.

Figure 3: Bulk currency amounting to $1,039,205, which was secreted in luggage aboard the aircraft.
SECTION I - OVERVIEW 7

Figure 4: The Beech Jet 400 utilized by the MLO.

 

United States Secret Service (USSS) 

Department of Homeland Security

Secret Service Works with EPA and IRS to Bring Down Biodiesel Fraud Scheme

Information included in the following forfeiture article is attributed to: June 24th, 2016 DOJ press release entitled, “Two 

Florida Men Plead Guilty to Multi-State Biodiesel Fraud Scheme”; information provided by the USSS Liaison to TEOAF; 

TEOAF internal records.

On November 7th, 2016, Thomas Davanzo and Robert Fedyna were sentenced in the Middle District of 

Florida to 121 months and 135 months, respectively, in prison for their involvement in a biodiesel fraud 

scheme. In addition to Davanzo and Fedyana, four other defendants have been arrested and subsequently 

entered guilty pleas for their involvement in this scheme. Davanzo and Fedyna defrauded biodiesel buyers 

and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel credits and fraudulently claiming tax credits.

As part of the scheme, Davanzo and Fedyna operated entities that purported to purchase renewable fuel, 

on which credits had been claimed and which was ineligible for additional credits, produced by their coconspirators at Gen-X Energy Group (Gen-X), headquartered in Pasco, Washington, and its subsidiary, 

Southern Resources and Commodities (SRC), located in Dublin, Georgia. They then used a series of false 

transactions to transform the fuel back into feedstock needed for the production of renewable fuel, and 

sold it back to Gen-X or SRC, allowing credits to be claimed again. This cycle was repeated multiple 

times.

In addition, both Davanzo and Fedyna laundered the proceeds of the scheme through various shell 

entities, for which Davanzo and Fedyna had established bank accounts. Funds were cycled through these 

shell companies’ bank accounts to perpetuate the fraud scheme and conceal its proceeds.

Davanzo and Fedyna also directed and participated in the generation of false paperwork designed to 

create the façade that the renewable identification number (or RIN, a serial number used to track biodiesel 

credits) created and claimed by co-conspirators were legitimate. From March 2013 to March 2014, the 
8 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

co-conspirators generated at least 60 million RINs that were based on fuel that was either never produced 

or was merely re-processed at the Gen-X or SRC facilities. The co-conspirators received at least $42 

million from the sale of these fraudulent RINs to third parties. In addition, Gen-X received approximately 

$4,360,724.50 in false tax credits for this fuel.

On April 14th, 2015, multiple simultaneous search and seizure warrants were conducted at facilities and 

residences located in Florida, Washington, and Georgia. USSS seized monetary instruments totaling 

$1,955,392.53, as well as a number of luxury items, including: two real properties located in Florida 

valued at $2,505,500; four horses, four personal vehicles, 264 gold coins, and a 43-foot water vessel. 

Figure 5: Defendant's property, including a '43 yacht, F-450 truck, race horse, Range Rover, and a luxury villa.

Coast Guard 

Department of Homeland Security 

Coast Guard Cutter Offloads Over 18 Tons of Cocaine

Information included in the following forfeiture article is attributed to: United States Coast Guard (USCG) news release, dated 

May 18, 2017, entitled: “Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton offloads more than 18 tons of cocaine in Port Everglades.”

On May 18th, 2017, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton offloaded approximately 18.5 tons 

(16,856 kilograms) of cocaine seized in international waters off the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Based on an 

estimate of $29,000 per kilo for wholesale cocaine, the total sum of seized narcotics was worth 

approximately $500 million. 
SECTION I - OVERVIEW 9

The drugs were interdicted along Central and South America by six U.S. Coast Guard cutters and a Royal 

Canadian Navy ship sailing with an embarked Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) team 

aboard.

The offload represented 20 separate, suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions by the Coast Guard, 

Royal Canadian Naval crews and its interagency partners.

“The 18.5 tons of seized cocaine coming off our decks today is the product of partnerships and the 

collaboration of U.S. Southern Command, Joint Interagency Task Force-South, the Departments of 

Homeland Security, Defense, State and Justice, the Canadian Navy and many of our international 

maritime service partners,” said Capt. Scott Clendenin, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter 

Hamilton. “Our efforts to interdict modern maritime smugglers involves intricately choreographed actions 

of joint, interagency and international operations centers, aircraft and vessels operating in concert against 

stealthy and well-funded international criminal smuggling organizations.”

Figure 6: Pallets containing approximately 18.5 tons of seized cocaine.

The Coast Guard increased U.S. and allied presence in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Basin, 

which are known drug transit zones off the coasts of Central and South America, as part of its Western 

Hemisphere interdiction strategy. During at-sea interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is 

initially located and tracked by allied military or law enforcement personnel. The interdictions, including 

the actual boarding, are led and conducted by U.S. Coast Guardsmen. 

The cutter Hamilton is a 418-foot National Security cutter homeported in Charleston, South Carolina.
10 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Program and Fund Highlights 

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund is a “special receipt account.” Such accounts represent federal fund 

collections earmarked by law for a specific purpose. The enabling legislation for the Treasury Forfeiture 

Fund (31 U.S.C. § 9705, Public Law 114-22) defines those purposes for which Treasury forfeiture 

revenue may be used. Once property or cash is seized, there is a forfeiture process. Upon forfeiture, 

seized currency, initially deposited into a suspense account, or holding account, is transferred to the Fund 

as forfeited revenue. Once forfeited, physical properties are sold and the proceeds are deposited into the 

Fund as forfeited revenue. It is this forfeiture revenue that comprises the budget authority for meeting 

expenses of running Treasury’s forfeiture program.

Expenses of the Fund are set in a relative priority so that unavoidable or “mandatory” costs are met first 

as a matter of policy. Expenses may not exceed revenue in the Fund. The Fund has several different 

spending authorities. Each of them is described below.

Mandatory Authority 

The mandatory authority items are generally used to meet “business expenses” of the Fund, including 

expenses of storing and maintaining seized and forfeited assets, valid liens and mortgages, investigative 

expenses incurred in pursuing a seizure, information and inventory systems, and certain costs of local 

police agencies incurred in joint law enforcement operations. Following forfeiture, equitable shares are 

paid to state and local law enforcement agencies that contributed to the seizure activity at a level 

proportionate to their involvement.

It is a strategic goal of the Fund to emphasize and monitor high impact forfeitures. To make significant 

forfeitures requires longer, more in-depth investigations. To this end, Fund management emphasizes the 

use of mandatory funding authorities that fuel large case initiatives. These authorities include the 

Purchase of Evidence and Information, expenses associated with Joint Operations, Investigative Expenses 

Leading to Seizure, and Asset Identification and Removal Groups. In recent years, funding provided to 

computer forensic investigative tools has yielded high impact results.

Secretary’s Enforcement Fund 

The Secretary’s Enforcement Fund (SEF) is derived from equitable shares received from the Justice 

Department’s Forfeiture Fund for work done by law enforcement bureaus participating in the Treasury 

Forfeiture Fund leading to Justice forfeitures. SEF revenue is available for federal law enforcement 

purposes of any Treasury law enforcement organization or law enforcement bureau that participates in the 

Treasury Forfeiture Fund. In FY 2017, the Fund expensed just over $5.9 million in SEF authority as 

compared to $57.4 million in FY 2016, a decrease of $51.5 million.

Strategic Support 

Strategic Support (formerly Super Surplus) represents the remaining unobligated balance after an amount 

is reserved for Fund operations in the next fiscal year. Strategic Support can be used for any federal law 

enforcement purpose. In FY 2017, the fund expensed $39.5 million in Strategic Support authority as 

compared to transferring in (after returns from prior years) $0.6 million in FY 2016. 
SECTION I - OVERVIEW 11

Program Performance

Strategic View 

Fund management continues to focus on strategic cases and investigations that result in high-impact 

forfeitures. We believe this approach affects the greatest damage to criminal organizations while 

accomplishing the ultimate objective – to disrupt and dismantle criminal activity. Generally, significant 

forfeitures require longer, more in-depth investigations. To this end, Fund management emphasizes the 

use of mandatory funding authorities that fuel large case initiatives including Purchase of Evidence and 

Information, expenses associated with Joint Operations, Investigative Expenses Leading to Seizure, Asset 

Identification and Removal teams and state-of-the-art Computer Forensics capability. 

FY 2017 was a successful revenue year by our member bureaus and was another successful year in 

equitable share deposits received from the Department of Justice (DOJ) forfeiture fund for forfeitures in 

which one or more of our member bureaus played a role. Equitable shares received totaled $14.2 million 

in FY 2017 as compared to $60.9 million in FY 2016. In addition, the Fund continues to support record 

levels of sharing of federal forfeitures with the state and local and foreign governments that contributed to 

the successful seizure and forfeiture activity of the Fund. The Fund expensed $67.3 million for state and 

local and foreign equitable sharing expenses in FY 2017 as compared to $182.7 million in FY 2016. 

These are important resources afforded by policy of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund to protect and preserve 

the valuable working relationships between our federal law enforcement bureaus and the critically 

important state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies that work with them in an investigative 

capacity day-in and day-out. 

 

Strategic Mission and Goal 

The mission of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund is to affirmatively influence the consistent and strategic use 

of asset forfeiture by law enforcement bureaus to disrupt and dismantle criminal enterprises. The goal of 

the Treasury Forfeiture Fund is to support the Department of the Treasury’s national asset forfeiture 

program in a manner that results in federal law enforcement’s continued and effective use of asset 

forfeiture as a high-impact law enforcement sanction to disrupt and dismantle criminal activity. To 

achieve our mission and goal, the program must be administered in a fiscally responsible manner that 

seeks to minimize the administrative costs incurred, thereby maximizing the benefits for law enforcement 

and the society it protects. 

 

Multi-Departmental Fund 

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund continued in its capacity as a multi-Departmental Fund in FY 2017, 

representing the interests of law enforcement components of the Departments of the Treasury and 

Homeland Security. FY 2017 posed continued management challenges including oversight of significant 

general property contract expenses associated with an increasingly complex forfeiture program. In 

addition, commensurate with the successful revenue year, there were significant expenses incurred by the 

bureaus to run their programs. In the midst of this period of growth and change, the Fund’s family of law 

enforcement bureaus continued their hard work of federal law enforcement and the application of asset 

forfeiture as a sanction to bring criminals to justice. 
12 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

FY 2017 was another robust year with regular revenue of $507.7 million from all sources, as compared 

with FY 2016 revenue of $870.0 million. As we enter fiscal year 2018, the Fund remains focused on 

support for strategic investigative initiatives that will have the greatest impact on national and 

international criminal enterprise including valuable training and investigative expense funding which 

emphasizes high-impact cases.

 

Performance Measure 

In FY 2017, the Fund measured performance through the use of the following performance measure: 

Percent of forfeited cash proceeds resulting from high-impact cases. This measures the percentage of 

forfeited cash proceeds resulting from high-impact cases (those with currency seizures in excess of 

$100,000). Focusing on strategic cases and investigations which result in high-impact seizures will affect 

the greatest damage to criminal organizations while accomplishing the ultimate objective – to disrupt and 

dismantle criminal activity.

Results 

The Fund performance measure and result for FY 2017 is as follows:

Performance Measure

FY 2016

Actual

FY 2017

Target

FY 2017

Actual

Percent of forfeited cash proceeds resulting from 

high-impact cases

89% 80% ?82%

A target of 75 percent high-impact cases was set for FY 2010 and prior years since inception of the 

performance measure in FY 2002. However, for FY 2011, the target was increased to 80 percent, 

reflecting member bureaus’ prior success in meeting the previous target. This is a fixed target for the 

Fund designed to afford our law enforcement bureaus the opportunity to undertake smaller seizure activity 

that is important to the overall federal law enforcement mission. The final percentage for FY 2017 was 

82 percent, exceeding the new target set in 2011. This compares with our FY 2015 and FY 2016

performance of 98 percent and 89 percent, respectively. 

The performance of our member bureaus is excellent and reflects Fund management’s longstanding 

emphasis on high-impact forfeiture strategies as well as the use of Fund authorities to assist member 

bureaus with larger cases that may take longer or require additional resources not otherwise available. 

This measure was put into effect beginning with FY 2002, and in all but 3 years, member bureaus met the 

target for high-impact forfeitures.

This measure is calculated by dividing the total amount of forfeited cash proceeds from cases greater than 

$100,000 by the total amount of forfeited cash proceeds for all cases. 
SECTION I - OVERVIEW 13

Financial Statement Highlights 

The following provides a brief explanation for each major section of the audited financial statements 

accompanying this report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017. 

These statements have been prepared to disclose the financial position of the Fund, its net costs, changes 

in net position, and budgetary resources, pursuant to the requirements of the Chief Financial Officers Act 

of 1990 and the Government Management Reform Act of 1994 (GMRA). While the financial statements 

have been prepared from the books and records of the Fund in accordance with the formats prescribed by 

the Office of Management and Budget, the statements are different from the financial reports used to 

monitor and control budgetary resources that are prepared from the same books and records and are 

subsequently presented in federal budget documents. Further, the notes to the financial statements and the 

independent auditor’s opinion and reports on internal control over financial reporting, and compliance and 

other matters are also integral components to understanding fully the financial highlights of Fund 

operations described in this chapter. 

Statements: Changes in Net Position

Follows are brief highlights from the Statements of Changes in Net Position for FY 2017 and 2016.

Net Position – End of Year. For FY 2017, the Net Position for the Fund at the end of the year, an 

indicator of the future capability to support ongoing operations of the Fund, totaled $2.2 billion versus 

$2.6 billion at the end of FY 2016. Both years closed with a strong and viable net position with which to 

commence the next fiscal year’s operations.

Total Gross Non-Exchange Revenues. This line item on the Statements of Changes in Net Position is 

the best indicator of regular “business-type” income of the account on an annual basis. For FY 2017, the 

Fund closed with $507.7 million in Gross Non-Exchange Revenues and a total of $870.0 million for FY 

2016, reflecting two, highly successful revenue years for the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. 

Proceeds from Participating with other Federal Agencies. This line item on the Statements of 

Changes in Net Position indicates revenue earned from the participation of Treasury Forfeiture Fund law 

enforcement bureaus in the seizures leading to forfeiture of bureaus that participate in the Department of 

Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund or with the forfeiture fund of the U.S. Postal Service (Postal Service). 

As of the close of FY 2017, Treasury Forfeiture Fund bureaus earned a total of $14.2 million in revenue 

from participation in the seizures leading to forfeiture of the Justice and Postal Service forfeiture funds as 

compared to a total of $60.9 million during FY 2016. Fund management continues to work with the 

Department of Justice to identify delays and/or explain downward adjustments to percentages associated 

with equitable sharing payments owed to the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. This revenue affords Treasury 

management significant funding flexibilities for our participating agencies as the authority is broad and

not confined to funding program costs; it can be used for any law enforcement purpose of our 

participating bureaus. The allocation of this type of revenue for FY 2016 and FY 2017 was restricted by 

the need to meet enacted budget rescissions, sequestrations, and permanent reductions.

Net Cost of Operations. For FY 2017, the Net Cost of Operations totaled $221.5 million, up from

$199.5 million in FY 2016.
14 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Investment Interest Income. The Fund is authorized to invest cash balances in Treasury securities. As 

of September 30, 2017, investments totaled $3.1 billion as compared with $3.5 billion invested as of 

September 30, 2016. During FY 2017 investment income totaled $19.1 million, as compared to $7.6 

million in FY 2016.

Equitable Sharing with Federal, State and Local Governments, and Foreign Countries. Each year, 

the Fund pays tens of millions of dollars to state and local law enforcement agencies, and foreign 

governments, for their participation in seizures that lead to forfeitures of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. 

State and local law enforcement agencies can use these resources to augment their law enforcement 

budgets to fight crime in their jurisdictions. Without these funds, budgets of the local municipalities 

would be taxed to provide these important resources or the need would go unmet. During FY 2017, the 

Fund shared a total of $188.9 million with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and 

another $2.9 million with foreign countries. This compares with $210.1 million shared with other federal, 

state and local law enforcement agencies during FY 2016 and $33.3 million and with foreign countries. 

Victim Restitution. During FY 2017, the Fund paid $77.2 million in restitution to victims as compared 

to $47.2 million in FY 2016.

Summary of Statements of Changes in Net Position. The Fund closed with a strong net position in FY 

2017. Management will continue to emphasize high-impact cases by participating law enforcement 

bureaus. The FY 2017 performance with forfeiture revenue earnings of $507.7 million from all sources, 

while exceeding the new higher performance measure target rate of high-impact cases, is truly a credit to 

the dedicated law enforcement personnel of our participating law enforcement bureaus.

Statements: Net Cost

Costs of the Forfeiture Program – Intra-governmental. After revenue is applied toward policy 

mandates such as equitable sharing, shown in the Statements of Changes in Net Position as negative 

revenue or applied non-exchange revenue, the remaining financing supports the law enforcement 

activities of the Fund and pays for the storage of seized and forfeited property and sales associated with 

the disposition of forfeited property. 

On the Statements of Net Cost, the Net Cost of Operations totaled $221.5 million in FY 2017, up from 

$199.5 million in FY 2016.

Intra-governmental. This cost category totaled $154.8 million in FY 2017, up from $138.2 million in FY 

2016. The amounts represent costs incurred by participating bureaus in running their respective forfeiture 

programs. 

National Seized Property Contracts and Other. One of the largest program costs of the Fund is the 

storage, maintenance and disposal of real and personal property. During FY 2017, general property was 

maintained by AECOM/URS. Real property was maintained by the CWS Asset Management & Sales 

Group, both contracts of the Department of the Treasury. In FY 2017, expenses of these contracts, which 

comprised over 99% of the total expenses for this line, including other contracts, totaled $51.0 million, up

from $47.1 million expensed in FY 2016.
SECTION I - OVERVIEW 15

Statements: Budgetary Resources

As of the end of FY 2017, the Fund has estimated future expenditures and commitments of $418.4 million 

(reductions) which may need to be paid in future years. These reductions relate to remissions, victim 

restitution and equitable sharing. These future obligations will be funded from the unobligated balance of 

$668.5 million as reported on the SF-133” Report on Budget Execution” for FY 2017. The unobligated 

balance less reductions would result in $250.1 million remaining at the end of FY 2017.

Balance Sheet

Assets, Liabilities and Net Position

Total assets of the Fund decreased in FY 2017 to $4.0 billion, down from $4.4 billion in FY 2016, a 

decrease in asset value of 9 percent. If seized currency and other monetary assets, which are assets in the 

custody of the government but not yet owned by the government, are backed out of both figures, the 

adjusted total assets of the Fund decreased to $2.4 billion in FY 2017, down from $2.8 billion in FY 2016. 

During FY 2017, total liabilities of the Fund were $1.7 billion, comparable to the $1.8 billion in FY 2016. 

If seized currency and other monetary assets, which are also shown as a liability because they are not yet 

owned by the government, are backed out of both figures, the adjusted total liabilities of the Fund 

decreases to $190.8 million in FY 2017, down from $254.1 million in FY 2016.

With decreasing asset amounts and decreasing revenue relative to costs, the Cumulative Results of 

Operations, i.e., retained earnings, decreased at the end of FY 2017 to a total of $2.2 billion, down from 

$2.6 billion at the end of FY 2016. 

Financial and Program Performance - What is needed and planned. OMB Circular A-136, Financial 

Reporting Requirements, requires that agencies include an explanation of what needs to be done and what 

is being planned to improve financial or program performance. In this regard, Fund management 

continues to work closely with member bureaus, through the financial planning process, to review 

revenue and expense projections during the operating year. 

Auditor’s Findings 

FY 2017 Audit. The Fund’s independent auditors have given the FY 2017 financial statements an 

Unmodified Opinion with no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal control over 

financial reporting identified. The auditor’s report on compliance and other matters disclosed no instances 

of noncompliance or other matters that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards

or OMB Bulletin No. 17-03, Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements. 

Summary of Financial Statement Highlights

Net Position. To summarize, Fund management concluded a highly productive FY 2017 “in the black,” 

with the necessary resources to commence the business of the asset forfeiture program for FY 2018. Even 

though there was a rescission of $1.3 billion and a sequestration of $96.0 million, Fund management was 

able to declare Strategic Support funding from FY 2017 operations, and will work to recognize the hard 

work of our participating agencies in the allocation of these resources.
16 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

A Look Forward 

Fund management will continue to work with our large and diverse array of federal law enforcement 

bureaus as they undertake increasingly sophisticated methods and global efforts to secure the financial 

and commercial markets of the nation and the world given the interdependence of financial systems. Our 

bureaus support immigration enforcement that is designed to identify illegal smuggling to deter its impact 

on the nation’s financial infrastructure and to ensure that human smugglers do not harm unsuspecting 

victims keen on seeking a new if illegal start in the United States. Investigative initiatives intended to 

interrupt the financial support for terrorism remains a critical part of the work of federal law enforcement. 

Emphasis will continue to be placed on ever-evolving state-of-the-art investigative techniques, highimpact major case initiatives, and training to support these areas of emphasis. This has and will continue 

to be the key to the growing success and law enforcement reach of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund.

Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (IPERA) and Improper Payments Elimination 

and Recovery Improvement Act (IPERIA) Reporting Detail 

The Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 (IPERA) requires agencies to review their 

programs and activities increasing efforts to recapture improper payments by intensifying and expanding 

payment recapture audits. All agencies are required to develop a method of reviewing all programs to 

identify those that are susceptible to significant erroneous payments. “Significant” means that an 

estimated error rate and a dollar amount exceed the threshold of 1.5 percent of program outlays and $10 

million of total program or activity payments made during the fiscal year reported or $100 million 

regardless of the improper payment percentage of total program outlays.

Currently the Fund conducts an internal review and analysis for its major contracts. The contract activity 

is high dollar value for each payment with limited volume. This activity has low risk, but based on the 

high dollar value requiring minimal resources, the Fund will continue to conduct these internal contract 

audits. Based on this analysis, the Fund has determined that recapture audits are not necessary and will 

not be implementing them at this time.

The Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012 requires agencies to 

incorporate the Do Not Pay Initiative (DNP) to further reduce improper payments. The Fund uses the 

Death Master File and the System of Award Management as part of a continuous monitoring process and 

post payment review. During FY 2017 and 2016, the Fund reviewed 15,038 and 15,624 payments 

totaling $649.5 million and $702.2 million respectively, and reports less than .01% of IPERA or DNP 

reportable improper payments.

Limitations of the Financial Statements. As required by OMB Circular A-136, Fund management 

makes the following statements regarding the limitations of the financial statements:

• The financial statements have been prepared to report the financial position and results of operations 

of the entity, pursuant to the requirements of 31 USC § 3515(b).

• While the statements have been prepared from the books and records of the entity in accordance with 

the formats prescribed by OMB, the statements are in addition to the financial reports used to monitor 

and control budgetary resources which are prepared from the same books and records.

• The statements should be read with the realization that they are for a component of the U.S. 
SECTION I - OVERVIEW 17

government, a sovereign entity. One implication of this is that liabilities cannot be liquidated without 

legislation that provides resources to do so.
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SECTION II

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORTS
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
 Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Independent Auditor's Report on Financial Statements

Inspector General

U.S. Department of the Treasury 

Washington, D.C.

Report on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying financial statements of the Department of 

the Treasury Forfeiture Fund (the Fund), which comprise the balance sheets as 

of September 30, 2017 and 2016, and the related statements of net cost, 

changes in net position, and budgetary resources for the years then ended, and 

the related notes to the financial statements.

Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these 

financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally 

accepted in the United States of America; this includes the design, 

implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation 

and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material 

misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

Auditor’s Responsibility

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based 

on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards 

generally accepted in the United States of America; the standards applicable to 

financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards issued by the 

Comptroller General of the United States; and applicable provisions of Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 17-03, Audit Requirements 

for Federal Financial Statements. Those standards and OMB Bulletin No. 17-

03 require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance 

about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. 

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the 

amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected 

depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of 

material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or 

error.

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Fax: 202-857-1778

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SECTION II –INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT 19

In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the Fund’s 

preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that 

are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the 

effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also 

includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of 

significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation 

of the financial statements. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis 

for our audit opinion.

Opinion

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the 

financial position of the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund as of September 30, 2017 and 

2016, and its net costs, changes in net position, and budgetary resources for the years then ended in 

accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Other Matters

Required Supplementary Information 

Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America require that the information 

in Section I: Overview, and Section IV: Required Supplemental Information be presented to 

supplement the basic financial statements referred to in the first paragraph of this report. Such 

information, although not a part of the basic financial statements, is required by the Federal 

Accounting Standards Advisory Board who considers it to be an essential part of financial reporting 

for placing the basic financial statements in an appropriate operational, economic, or historical 

context. We have applied certain limited procedures to the required supplementary information in 

accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America, which 

consisted of inquiries of management about the methods of preparing the information and comparing 

the information for consistency with management’s responses to our inquiries, the basic financial 

statements, and other knowledge we obtained during our audits of the basic financial statements. We 

do not express an opinion or provide any assurance on the information because the limited procedures 

do not provide us with sufficient evidence to express an opinion or provide any assurance.

Other Information

Our audits were conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements 

taken as a whole. The information in the Message from the Director, and Section V: Other 

Accompanying Information is presented for the purposes of additional analysis and is not a required 

part of the basic financial statements. Such information has not been subjected to the auditing 

procedures applied in the audits of the basic financial statements, and accordingly, we do not express 

an opinion or provide any assurance on it.
20 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Other Reporting Required by Government Auditing Standards

In accordance with Government Auditing Standards, we have also issued our reports dated October 

31, 2017, on our consideration of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting and on our tests 

of its compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts and other matters. The 

purpose of these reports is to describe the scope of our testing of internal control over financial 

reporting and compliance and the results of that testing, and not to provide an opinion on internal 

control over financial reporting or on compliance. Those reports are an integral part of an audit 

performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards in considering the Fund’s internal 

control over financial reporting and compliance.

Washington, DC

October 31, 2017
 Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Independent Auditor's Report on Internal Control over Financial 

Reporting

Inspector General

U.S. Department of the Treasury 

Washington, D.C.

We have audited, in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in 

the United States of America; the standards applicable to financial audits 

contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller 

General of the United States; and applicable provisions of Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 17-03, Audit Requirements for 

Federal Financial Statements, the financial statements of the Department of 

the Treasury Forfeiture Fund (the Fund), which comprise the balance sheets as 

of September 30, 2017 and 2016, and the related statements of net cost, 

changes in net position, and budgetary resources for the years then ended, and 

the related notes to the financial statements, and have issued our report thereon 

dated October 31, 2017. 

In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements as of and for 

the year ended September 30, 2017, we considered the Fund’s internal control 

over financial reporting (internal control) to determine the audit procedures

that are appropriate in the circumstances for the purpose of expressing our 

opinion on the financial statements, but not for the purpose of expressing an 

opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control. Accordingly, we do 

not express an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control. We 

did not test all internal controls relevant to operating objectives as broadly 

defined by the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act of 1982.

A deficiency in internal control exists when the design or operation of a 

control does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of 

performing their assigned functions, to prevent, or detect and correct,

misstatements on a timely basis. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a 

combination of deficiencies, in internal control, such that there is a reasonable 

possibility that a material misstatement of the entity’s financial statements will 

not be prevented, or detected and corrected on a timely basis.

Our consideration of internal control was for the limited purpose described in 

the second paragraph and was not designed to identify all deficiencies in 

internal control that might be material weaknesses.

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Suite 200

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Certified Public Accountants

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22 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Given these limitations, during our audit we did not identify any deficiencies in internal control that 

we consider to be material weaknesses. However, material weaknesses may exist that have not been 

identified.

Purpose of this Report

The purpose of this report is solely to describe the scope of our testing of internal control and the 

result of that testing, and not to provide an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control. 

This report is an integral part of an audit performed in accordance with Government Auditing 

Standards in considering the Fund’s internal control. Accordingly, this communication is not 

suitable for any other purpose.

Washington, DC

October 31, 2017
 Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Independent Auditor's Report on Compliance and Other Matters

Inspector General

U.S. Department of the Treasury 

Washington, D.C.

We have audited, in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in 

the United States of America; the standards applicable to financial audits 

contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller 

General of the United States; and applicable provisions of Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 17-03, Audit Requirements for 

Federal Financial Statements, the financial statements of the Department of 

the Treasury Forfeiture Fund (the Fund), which comprise the balance sheets as 

of September 30, 2017 and 2016, and the related statements of net cost, 

changes in net position, and budgetary resources for the years then ended, and 

the related notes to the financial statements, and have issued our report thereon 

dated October 31, 2017. 

As part of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether the Fund’s financial 

statements are free from material misstatement, we performed tests of the 

Fund’s compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, and contracts, 

noncompliance with which could have a direct and material effect on the 

determination of financial statement amounts, and certain provisions of other 

laws and regulations specified in OMB Bulletin No. 17-03. However, 

providing an opinion on compliance with those provisions was not an objective 

of our audit, and accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.

The results of our tests disclosed no instances of noncompliance or other 

matters that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards

or OMB Bulletin No. 17-03.

Purpose of this Report

The purpose of this report is solely to describe the scope of our testing of 

compliance and the result of that testing, and not to provide an opinion on the 

Fund’s compliance.

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1015 18th Street, NW

Suite 200

Washington, DC 20036

Tel: 202-857-1777

Fax: 202-857-1778

Certified Public Accountants

& Consultants
24 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

This report is an integral part of an audit performed in accordance with Government Auditing 

Standards in considering the Fund’s compliance. Accordingly, this communication is not suitable for 

any other purpose.

Washington, DC

October 31, 2017
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SECTION III

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 25

Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund

BALANCE SHEETS

As of September 30, 2017 and 2016

(Dollars in thousands)

2017 2016

Assets:

Intragovernmental:

 Fund balance with Treasury $ 35,607 $ 36,902

 Investments and related interest receivable (Note 3) 3,124,344 3,481,996

 Total Intragovernmental 3,159,951 3,518,898

 Cash and other monetary assets (Note 5) 743,749 769,268

 Accounts Receivable 1,478 891

 745,227 770,159

 Forfeited property (Note 6)

 Held for sale, net of mortgages, liens and claims 62,678 88,044

 To be shared with federal, state or local, or foreign governments 153 267

 Total forfeited property, net of mortgages, liens and claims 62,831 88,311

 

Total Assets $ 3,968,009 $4,377,368

Liabilities:

 Intragovernmental:

 Accounts payable $ 87,782 $ 81,133

 Total Intragovernmental 87,782 81,133

 Seized currency and other monetary instruments (Note 8) 1,529,034 1,532,790

 Distributions payable (Note 10)

 State and local agencies and foreign governments 32,755 76,321

 Accounts payable 7,409 8,369

 Deferred revenue from forfeited assets 62,831 88,311

Total Liabilities 1,719,811 1,786,924

Commitments and contingencies (Note 15) - -

Net Position:

 Cumulative results of operations (Note 11) 2,248,198 2,590,444

Total Liabilities and Net Position $3,968,009 $4,377,368

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
26 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund

STATEMENTS OF NET COST

For the years ended September 30, 2017 and 2016

(Dollars in thousands)

2017 2016

Program:

ENFORCEMENT

 Intragovernmental: 

 Seizure investigative costs and asset management $ 99,068 $ 96,117

 Other asset related contract services 8,581 10,239

 Data systems, training and others 47,175 31,878

 Total Intragovernmental 154,824 138,234

 With the Public:

 National contract services seized property and other 51,048 47,147

 Joint operations 15,660 14,133

 Total with the Public 66,708 61,280

Net Cost of Operations $ 221,532 $ 199,514

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 27

Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET POSITION

For the years ended September 30, 2017 and 2016

(Dollars in thousands)

2017 2016

Net Position – Beginning of Year $ 2,590,444 $ 6,067,853

Financing Sources (Non-Exchange Revenues): 

 Intragovernmental

 Investment interest income 

 Public

 19,085 7,640

 Forfeited currency and monetary instruments 374,895 697,039

 Sales of forfeited property net of mortgages and claims 83,711 76,275

 Proceeds from participating with other federal agencies 14,175 60,941

 Value of property transferred in equitable sharing 240 2,110

 Payments in lieu of forfeiture, net of refunds (Note 19) 8,840 16,922

 Reimbursed costs 3,330 5,187

 Other 3,466 3,412

 Total Gross Non-Exchange Revenues 507,742 869,526

Less: Equitable Sharing

 Intragovernmental

 Federal (124,595) (60,772)

 Public

 State and local agencies (64,306) (149,367)

 Foreign countries (2,953) (33,298)

 Victim restitution (77,195) (47,208)

 (144,454) (229,873)

 Total Equitable Sharing (269,049) (290,645)

Total Non-Exchange Revenues, Net 238,693 578,881

Transfers –In (Out)

 Intragovernmental

 Strategic support (Note 13) (39,497) 640

 Secretary’s enforcement fund (Note 14) (5,910) (57,416)

 Transfer to the general fund (Note 9) (314,000) (3,800,000)

Total Transfers Out (359,407) (3,856,776)

Total Financing Sources - Net (120,714) (3,277,895)

Net Cost of Operations (221,532) (199,514)

Net Results of Operations (342,246) (3,477,409)

Net Position – End of Year $ 2,248,198 $ 2,590,444

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
28 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund

STATEMENTS OF BUDGETARY RESOURCES

For the years ended September 30, 2017 and 2016

(Dollars in thousands)

2017 2016

Budgetary Resources:

 

 Unobligated balances- beginning of year $ 1,034,832 $ 3,655,752 

 Recoveries of prior year unpaid obligations 41,094 499,317

 Other changes in unobligated balance 528 -

 Unobligated balance from prior year budget authority, net 1,076,454 4,155,069

 Budget authority 118,303 (2,611,491)

 

Total Budgetary Resources

 

$ 1,194,757 $ 1,543,578

Status of Budgetary Resources:

 Obligations incurred $ 526,228 $ 508,746

 Unobligated balances – apportioned

 Unobligated balances – unapportioned 

$ 557,363

 111,166 

$ 527,534

 507,298

 Unobligated balances – end of year (Note 17) $ 668,529 $ 1,034,832

Total Status of Budgetary Resources $ 1,194,757 $ 1,543,578

Change in Obligated Balance:

 Obligated balance, net-beginning of year $ 653,177 $ 1,220,031

 Obligations incurred 526,228 508,746

 Less: Gross outlays (578,595) (576,283)

 Less: Recoveries of prior year unpaid obligations, actual (41,094) (499,317)

Obligated balance, net – end of year $ 559,716 $ 653,177 

Budget Authority and Outlays

 

 Budget authority, net $ 118,303 $ (2,611,491)

 

 Net outlays $ 578,595 $ 576,283

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 29

Note 1: Reporting Entity

The Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund (Treasury Forfeiture Fund or the Fund) was 

established by the Treasury Forfeiture Fund Act of 1992, Public Law 102-393 (the TFF Act), and is 

codified at 31 USC 9705. The Fund was created to consolidate all Treasury law enforcement bureaus 

under a single forfeiture fund program administered by the Department of the Treasury (Treasury). 

Treasury law enforcement bureaus fully participating in the Fund upon enactment of this legislation 

were the U.S. Customs Service (Customs); the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation

(IRS-CI); the United States Secret Service (Secret Service); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and 

Firearms (ATF); the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN); and the Federal Law 

Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). FinCEN and FLETC contribute no revenue to the Fund, 

however in recent years, significant amounts of Strategic Support funds have been allocated to 

FinCEN towards Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) Information Technology (IT) modernization, a tool used 

in the fight against money laundering and other criminal activity. The U.S. Coast Guard, formerly 

part of the Department of Transportation, now part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 

also participates in the Fund. However, all Coast Guard seizures are treated as Customs seizures 

because the Coast Guard lacks forfeiture authority. 

With enactment of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Homeland Security Act), law enforcement 

bureaus currently participating in the Fund are: the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation 

(IRS-CI) of Treasury, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement 

(ICE) and the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) of DHS. The U.S. Coast Guard of DHS joins these 

bureaus. The Fund continues in its capacity as a multi-departmental fund, representing the interests of 

law enforcement components of the Departments of Treasury and Homeland Security.

The Fund is a special fund that is accounted for under Treasury symbol number 20X5697. From this 

no-year account, expenses may be incurred consistent with 31 USC 9705, as amended. A portion of 

these expenses, referred to as discretionary expenses, are subject to annual appropriation limitations. 

Others, referred to as non-discretionary (mandatory) expenses, are limited only by the availability of 

resources in the Fund. Both expense categories are limited in total by the amount of revenue in the 

Fund. The Fund is managed by Treasury's Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture (TEOAF).

The mission of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund is to affirmatively influence the consistent and strategic 

use of asset forfeiture by law enforcement bureaus to disrupt and dismantle criminal enterprises. The 

goal of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund is to support the Treasury’s national asset forfeiture program in 

a manner that results in federal law enforcement’s continued and effective use of asset forfeiture as a 

high-impact law enforcement sanction to disrupt and dismantle criminal activity. Under a 

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Treasury, CBP acts as the executive agent for certain 

operations of the Fund. Pursuant to that executive agency role, CBP’s National Finance Center (NFC) 

is responsible for accounting and financial reporting for the Fund, including timely and accurate 

reporting and compliance with Treasury, the Comptroller General and the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) regulations and reporting requirements.
30 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Accounting and Presentation

The Fund began preparing audited financial statements in Fiscal Year 1993 as required by the Fund’s 

enabling legislation, 31 USC 9705(f)(2)(H), and the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990. Beginning 

with the Fiscal Year 1996 report, the Government Management Reform Act of 1994 (GMRA) 

requires executive agencies, including the Treasury, to produce audited consolidated accountability 

reports and related footnotes for all activities and funds.

The financial statements have been prepared from the accounting records of the Fund in conformity 

with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and specified 

by OMB in OMB Circular A-136, Financial Reporting Requirements (OMB Circular A-136). GAAP 

for federal entities is prescribed by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB), 

which is designated the official accounting standards setting body of the Federal Government by the 

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. 

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted 

in the Unites States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect 

the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of 

the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting 

period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Certain fiscal year 2016 balances may have been reclassified, retitled, or combined with other 

financial statement line items for consistency with the current year presentation. 

Allowable Fund Expenses

The majority of the revenue recorded by the Fund is utilized for operating expenses or distributed to 

state and local law enforcement agencies, other federal agencies, and foreign governments, in 

accordance with the various laws and policies governing the operations and activities of the Fund. 

Under the TFF Act, the Fund is authorized to pay certain expenses using discretionary or mandatory 

funding authorities of the Fund.

Discretionary authorities include but may not be limited to: the payment of expenses for the purchase 

of awards for information or assistance leading to a civil or criminal forfeiture involving any law 

enforcement bureau participating in the Fund; purchase of evidence or information that meet the 

criteria set out in 31 USC 9705(a)(2)(B); payment for equipment for vessels, vehicles, or aircraft 

available for official use as described by 31 USC 9705(a)(2)(D) and (F); reimbursement of private 

persons for expenses incurred while cooperating with a Treasury law enforcement organization in 

investigations; publication of the availability of certain awards; and payment for training foreign law 

enforcement personnel with respect to seizure or forfeiture activities of the Fund. Discretionary 

expenses are subject to an annual, definite Congressional appropriation from revenue in the Fund. 

Expenses from the mandatory authorities of the Fund include but are not limited to: all proper 

expenses of the seizure, including investigative costs and purchases of evidence and information 

leading to seizure, holding costs, security costs, etc., awards of compensation to informers under

section 619 of the Tariff Act (19 USC 1619); satisfaction of liens against the forfeited property, and 
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 31

claims of parties with interest in forfeited property; expenses incurred by state and local law 

enforcement agencies in joint law enforcement operations with law enforcement agencies 

participating in the Fund; and equitable sharing payments made to state and local law enforcement 

agencies in recognition of their efforts in a Fund seizure leading to forfeiture. These mandatory 

expenses are paid pursuant to the permanent indefinite authorities of the Fund; are only limited by 

revenue in the Fund each year and do not require additional Congressional action for expenditure. 

The Fund's expenses are either paid on a reimbursement basis or paid directly on behalf of a 

participating bureau. Reimbursable expenses are incurred by the respective bureaus participating in 

the Fund against their appropriation and then submitted to the Fund for reimbursement. The bureaus 

are reimbursed through Inter-Agency Transfers (SF-1081) or Intra-governmental Payments and 

Collection (IPAC) System. Certain expenses such as equitable sharing, liens, claims and state and 

local joint operations costs are paid directly from the Fund.

Further, the Fund is a component unit of the Treasury with participating bureaus in the DHS. As 

such, employees of both Departments may perform certain operational and administrative tasks 

related to the Fund. Payroll costs of employees directly involved in the security and maintenance of 

forfeited property are also recorded as expenses in the financial statements of the Fund (included in 

the line item “seizure investigative costs and asset management” in the statement of net cost.)

Revenue and Expense Recognition

Revenue from the forfeiture of property is deferred until the property is sold or transferred to a state, 

local or federal agency. Revenue is not recorded if the forfeited property is ultimately destroyed or 

cannot be legally sold.

Revenue from currency is recognized upon forfeiture. Payments in lieu of forfeiture (mitigated 

seizures) are recognized as revenue when the payment is received. Revenue received from 

participating with certain other federal agencies is recognized when the payment is received. 

Operating costs are recorded as expenses and related liabilities when goods are received or services 

are performed. Certain probable equitable sharing liabilities existing at year end are accrued based 

on estimates.

As provided for in the TFF Act, the Fund invests seized and forfeited currency that is not needed for 

current operations. Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service invests the funds in obligations of, or 

guaranteed by, the United States Government. Interest is reported to the Fund and recorded monthly 

as revenue in the general ledger.

Funds from Dedicated Collections

Funds from dedicated collections are financed by specifically identified revenues, often 

supplemented by other financing sources, which remain available over time. These specifically 

identified revenues and other financing sources are required by statute to be used for designated 

activities, benefits, or purposes, and must be accounted for separately from the Government’s general 

revenues. In accordance with SFFAS 43, Funds from Dedicated Collections, all of the TFF’s 

revenue meets these criteria and constitutes funds from dedicated collections.

The Federal Government does not set aside assets to pay future benefits or other expenditures 

associated with funds from dedicated collections. The cash collected from funds from dedicated 

collections is deposited in the U.S. Treasury, which uses the cash for general government purposes. 
32 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Treasury securities are issued to the TFF as evidence of its receipts. Treasury securities are an asset to 

the TFF and a liability to the U.S. Treasury. Because the TFF and U.S. Treasury are both parts of the 

government, these assets and liabilities offset each other from the standpoint of the government as a 

whole. For this reason, they do not represent an asset or a liability in the U.S. Government-wide 

financial statements.

Treasury securities provide the TFF with authority to draw upon the U.S. Treasury to make future 

benefit payments or other expenditures. When the TFF requires redemption of these securities to 

make expenditures, the government finances those expenditures out of accumulated cash balances, by 

raising taxes or other receipts, by borrowing from the public or repaying less debt or by curtailing 

other expenditures. This is the same way that the government finances all other expenditures.

Equitable Sharing (Assets Distributed)

Forfeited property, currency, or proceeds from the sales of forfeited property may be shared with 

federal, state and local law enforcement agencies or foreign governments, which provided direct or 

indirect assistance in the related seizure. In addition, the Fund may transfer forfeited property to 

other federal agencies, which would benefit from the use of the item. A class of asset distribution 

was established for victim restitution in 1995. These distributions include property and cash returned 

to victims of fraud and other illegal activity. Upon approval by Fund management to share or 

transfer the assets, both revenue from distributed forfeited assets and distributions are recognized for 

the net realizable value of the asset to be shared or transferred, thereby resulting in no gain or loss 

recognized. Revenue and /or expenses are recognized for property and currency, which are 

distributed to or shared with non-federal agencies, per SFFAS No. 7, Accounting for Revenue and 

Other Financing Sources.

Entity Assets

Entity assets are used to conduct the operations and activities of the Fund. Entity assets comprise 

intragovernmental and non-intragovernmental assets. Intragovernmental balances arise from 

transactions among federal agencies. These assets are claims of a federal entity against another 

federal entity. Entity assets consist of cash or other assets, which could be converted into cash to 

meet the Fund's current or future operational needs. Such other assets include investments of forfeited 

balances, accrued interest on seized balances, receivables, and forfeited property, which are held for 

sale or to be distributed.

• Fund Balance with Treasury – This represents amounts on deposit with Treasury.

• Investments and Related Interest Receivable – This includes forfeited cash held by the Fund 

and seized currency held in the Customs Suspense Account that had been invested in short term 

U.S. Government Securities. 

• Receivables – The values reported for other receivables are primarily funds due from the national 

seized property contractor for properties sold; the proceeds of which have not yet been deposited 

into the Fund. No allowance has been made for uncollectible amounts as the accounts recorded as 

a receivable at year end were considered to be fully collectible as of September 30, 2017 and 

2016.
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 33

• Advances – This primarily represents cash transfers to Treasury or law enforcement bureaus 

participating in the Fund for orders to be delivered.

• Cash and Other Monetary Assets – This includes forfeited currency on hand not yet deposited 

and forfeited currency held as evidence.

• Forfeited Property and Currency – Forfeited property and currency is recorded in the 

respective seized property and forfeited asset tracking systems at the estimated fair value at the 

time of seizure. However, based on historical sales experiences for the year, properties are 

adjusted to reflect the market value at the end of the fiscal year for financial statement reporting 

purposes. Direct and indirect holding costs are not capitalized for individual forfeited assets. 

Forfeited currency not deposited into the Fund is included as part of Entity Assets - Cash and 

Other Monetary Assets.

Further, mortgages and claims on forfeited assets are recognized as a valuation allowance and a 

reduction of deferred revenue from forfeited assets when the asset is forfeited. The allowance 

includes mortgages and claims on forfeited property held for sale and a minimal amount of claims on 

forfeited property previously sold. Mortgages and claims expenses are recognized when the related 

asset is sold and is reflected as a reduction of sales of forfeited property.

Additionally, SFFAS No. 3, Accounting for Inventory and Related Property, requires certain 

additional disclosures in the notes to the financial statements, including an analysis of changes in 

seized and forfeited property and currency, for both carrying value and quantities, from that on hand 

at the beginning of the year to that on hand at the end of the year. These analyses are disclosed in 

Notes 7 and 8.

Non-entity Assets

Non-entity assets held by the Fund are not available for use by the Fund. Non-entity assets comprise 

intragovernmental and other assets. Intragovernmental balances arise from transactions among 

federal agencies. These assets are claims of a federal entity against another federal entity. Nonentity assets are not considered as financing sources (revenue) available to offset operating expenses, 

therefore, a corresponding liability is recorded and presented as governmental liabilities in the 

balance sheet to reflect the custodial/fiduciary nature of these activities.

• Seized Currency and Property – Seized Currency is defined as cash or monetary instruments 

that are readily convertible to cash on a dollar for dollar basis. SFFAS No. 3 requires that seized 

monetary instruments (cash and cash equivalents) be recognized as an asset in the financial 

statements and a liability be established in an amount equal to the seized asset value due to: (i) the 

fungible nature of monetary instruments, (ii) the high level of control that is necessary over these 

assets; and (iii) the possibility that these monies may be returned to their owner in lieu of 

forfeiture.

Seized property is recorded at its appraised value at the time of seizure. The value is determined 

by the seizing entity and is usually based on a market analysis such as a third party appraisal, 

standard property value publications or bank statements. Seized property is not recognized as an 

asset in the financial statements, as transfer of ownership to the government has not occurred as 

of September 30. Accordingly, seized property other than monetary instruments is disclosed in 

the footnotes in accordance with SFFAS No. 3.
34 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

• Investments and Related Interest Receivable – This balance includes seized cash on deposit in 

the Fund’s suspense account held by Treasury, which has been invested in short term U.S. 

Government Securities.

• Cash and Other Monetary Assets – This balance represents the aggregate amount of the Fund’s 

seized currency on deposit in the Fund’s suspense account held by Treasury, seized cash on 

deposit held with other financial institutions and, cash on hand in vaults held at field office 

locations.

Liabilities Covered by Budgetary Resources

Liabilities covered by budgetary resources represent liabilities incurred, which are covered by 

available budgetary resources. The components of such liabilities for the Fund are as follows:

• Distributions Payable – Distributions payable to federal and non-federal agencies is primarily 

related to equitable sharing payments and payments to be made by the Fund to the victims of 

fraud.

• Accounts Payable – Amounts reported in this category include accrued expenses authorized by 

the TFF Act (See "Allowable Fund Expenses") for which payment was pending at year end.

• Seized Currency – Amounts reported in this category represent the value of seized currency that 

is held by the Fund which equals the amount of seized currency reported as an asset.

• Deferred Revenue from Forfeited Assets – At year end, the Fund held forfeited assets, which 

had not yet been converted into cash through a sale. The amount reported here represents the 

value of these assets, net of mortgages and claims.

Liabilities Not Covered by Budgetary Resources

The Fund does not currently have liabilities not covered by available budgetary resources.

Net Position

The components of net position are classified as follows:

• Retained Capital – There is no cap on amounts that the Fund can carry forward into Fiscal Year 

2018. The cap was removed by the Fiscal Year 1997 Omnibus Appropriations Act (PL 104-208).

• Unliquidated Obligations – This category represents the amount of undelivered purchase orders, 

contracts and equitable sharing requests which have been obligated with current budget resources 

or delivered purchase orders and contracts that have not been invoiced. An expense and liability 

are recognized and the corresponding obligations are reduced as goods are received or services 

are performed. A portion of the equitable sharing requests that were in final stages of approval 

are recognized as liabilities at year end. Prior experience with the nature of this account indicated 

that a substantial portion of these requests were certain liabilities at year end. (See also 

Distributions Payable at Note 10).
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 35

• Net Results of Operations – This category represents the net difference, for the activity during 

the year, between: (i) financing sources including transfers, and revenues; and (ii) expenses.

Note 3: Investments and Related Interest Receivable

All investments are intragovernmental short-term (35 days or less) non-marketable par value federal 

debt securities issued by, and purchased through Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Federal 

Investments Branch. Investments are always purchased at a discount and are reported at acquisition 

cost, net of discount. The discount is amortized into interest income over the term of the investment. 

The investments are always held to maturity. They are made from cash in the Fund and from seized 

currency held in the Customs Suspense Account. The Customs Suspense Account became the 

depository for seized cash for the Fund following enactment of the TFF Act. 

The following schedule presents the investments on hand as of September 30, 2017 and 2016,

respectively (dollars in thousands):

Entity Assets

Description Cost Unamortized 

Discount

Investment, 

Net

September 30, 2017

Treasury Forfeiture Fund -

28 days 0.9550% U.S. Treasury Bills $2,237,149 ($1,662) $2,235,487

Interest Receivable 162

Total Investment, Net, and Interest Receivable $2,235,649

Fair Market Value $2,235,747

September 30, 2016

Treasury Forfeiture Fund -

28 days 0.0950% U.S. Treasury Bills $2,690,433 ($199) $2,690,234

Interest Receivable 9

Total Investment, Net, and Interest Receivable $2,690,243

Fair Market Value $2,690,092
36 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Description Cost Unamortized 

Discount

Investment, 

Net

September 30, 2017

Treasury Forfeiture Fund -

27 days 0.9450% U.S. Treasury Bills $80,057 ($57) $80,000

Interest Receivable 2

Total Investment, Net, and Interest Receivable $80,002

Fair Market Value $80,007

September 30, 2016

Not Applicable. This account did not exist.

Non-entity Assets

Description Cost Unamortized

Discount

Investment, 

Net

September 30, 2017

Treasury Forfeiture Fund –

Seized Currency Suspense Account

28 days 0.9550% U.S. Treasury Bills $809,294 ($601) $808,693

Fair Market Value $808,787

September 30, 2016

Treasury Forfeiture Fund –

Seized Currency Suspense Account

28 days 0.0950% U.S. Treasury Bills $791,812 ($59) $ 791,753

Fair Market Value $ 791,711
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 37

Note 4: Analysis of Non-Entity Assets

The following schedule presents the non-entity assets as of September 30, 2017 and 2016, 

respectively (dollars in thousands):

2017 2016

Seized currency:

Intragovernmental Investments (Note 3) $ 808,693 $ 791,753

Cash and other monetary assets (Note 5) 720,341 741,037

Total Non-Entity Assets 1,529,034 1,532,790

Total Entity Assets 2,438,975 2,844,578

Total Assets $ 3,968,009 $ 4,377,368

Note 5: Cash and Other Monetary Assets

Entity Assets

Cash and Other Monetary Assets held on hand included forfeited currency not yet deposited, as well 

as forfeited currency held as evidence, amounting to $23.4 million and $28.2 million as of September 

30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Non-Entity Assets

Cash and Other Monetary Assets included seized currency not yet deposited, as well as deposited 

seized currency which is not invested in order to pay remissions, amounted to $720.3 million and 

$741.0 million as of September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Note 6: Forfeited Property/Deferred Revenue

The following summarizes the components of forfeited property (net), as of September 30, 2017 and 

2016, respectively (dollars in thousands):

2017 2016

Held for sale $ 67,670 $ 93,771

To be shared with federal, State or local, or foreign government 153 267

 Total forfeited property (Note 7) 67,823 94,038

Less: Allowance for liens and claims (4,992) (5,727)

Total forfeited property, net $ 62,831 $ 88,311
38 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Note 7: Analysis of Changes in Forfeited Property and Currency 

The following schedule presents the changes in the forfeited property and currency balances from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017. 

(Dollar value is in thousands)

10/1/16 Financial 

Statement Balance Adjustments

10/1/16

Carrying Value Forfeitures Deposits/Sales Disposals/Transfers

Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No.

Currency $17,152 - $- - $17,152 - $353,185 - $(381,016) - $ - -

Other Monetary 

Instruments 11,079 - - - 11,079 - 1,836 - (1,811) - (25) -

Subtotal 28,231 - - - 28,231 - 355,021 - (382,827) - (25) -

Real Property 36,698 255 17,679 - 54,377 255 34,376 132 (44,453) (194) - -

General Property 46,946 20,636 51,400 - 98,346 20,636 14,352 21,574 (44,341) (3,467) (1,354) (1,308)

Vessels 1,043 95 859 - 1,902 95 896 114 (452) (32) (73) (2)

Aircraft 454 8 1,479 - 1,933 8 1,133 11 (3,215) (8) - -

Vehicles 8,897 2,159 7,654 - 16,551 2,159 29,565 7,811 (20,880) (5,983) (6,079) (942)

Subtotal 94,038 23,153 79,071 - 173,109 23,153 80,322 29,642 (113,341) (9,684) (7,506) (2,252)

Grand Total $122,269 23,153 $79,071 - $201,340 23,153 $435,343 29,642 $(496,168) (9,684) $(7,531) (2,252)

Victim Restitution Destroyed

Other

Adjustments Value Change 2017 Carrying Value

Fair Market Value

Adjustment

9/30/17 Financial 

Statement Balance

Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No.

Currency $- - $- - $24,995 - $(1,987) - $12,329 - $- - $12,329 -

Other Monetary 

Instruments -

-

-

- - - - 11,079 - - - 11,079 -

Subtotal - - - - 24,995 - (1,987) - 23,408 - - - 23,408 -

Real Property - - - (1) 6,803 25 515 - 51,618 217 (6,790) - 44,828 217

General Property - - (378) (20,628) (6,274) (27) (9,450) - 50,901 16,780 (38,582) - 12,319 16,780

Vessels - - - (53) (617) (3) (179) - 1,477 119 (171) - 1,306 119

Aircraft - - - (1) 1,292 (2) (51) - 1,092 8 (279) - 813 8

Vehicles - - (35) (612) (681) 177 (321) - 18,120 2,610 (9,563) - 8,557 2,610

Subtotal - - (413) (21,295) 523 170 (9,486) - 123,208 19,734 (55,385) - 67,823 19,734

Grand Total $- - $(413) (21,295) $25,518 170 $(11,473) - $146,616 19,734 $(55,385) - $91,231 19,734
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 39

Note 7: Analysis of Changes in Forfeited Property and Currency (Continued) 

The following schedule presents the changes in the forfeited property and currency balances from October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016. 

(Dollar value is in thousands)

10/1/15 Financial 

Statement Balance Adjustments

10/1/15

Carrying Value Forfeitures Deposits/Sales Disposals/Transfers

Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No.

Currency $24,993 - $- - $24,993 - $678,689 - $(719,087) - $ - -

Other Monetary 

Instruments 11,090 - - - 11,090 - 12 - (430) - - -

Subtotal 36,083 - - - 36,083 - 678,701 - (719,517) - - -

Real Property 55,374 299 10,391 - 65,765 299 34,557 166 (54,274) (227) (2,419) (7)

General Property 23,748 21,037 47,371 - 71,119 21,037 64,976 23,361 (22,168) (2,757) (2,764) (1,107)

Vessels 969 101 971 - 1,940 101 1,860 132 (1,526) (80) (149) (4)

Aircraft 215 3 102 - 317 3 2,308 11 (802) (6) (1) (2)

Vehicles 8,613 2,020 6,751 - 15,364 2,020 33,973 8,216 (25,674) (6,870) (6,127) (1,267)

Subtotal 88,919 23,460 65,586 - 154,505 23,460 137,674 31,886 (104,444) (9,940) (11,460) (2,387)

Grand Total $125,002 23,460 $65,586 - $190,588 23,460 $816,375 31,886 $(823,961) (9,940) $(11,460) (2,387)

Victim Restitution Destroyed

Other

Adjustments Value Change 2016 Carrying Value

Fair Market Value

Adjustment

9/30/16 Financial 

Statement Balance

Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No.

Currency $- - $- - $34,713 - $(2,156) - $17,152 - $- - $17,152 -

Other Monetary 

Instruments -

-

-

408 - (1) - 11,079 - - - 11,079 -

Subtotal - - - - 35,121 - (2,157) - 28,231 - - - 28,231 -

Real Property - - - - 10,738 24 10 - 54,377 255 (17,679) - 36,698 255

General Property - - (342) (19,569) 169 (329) (12,644) - 98,346 20,636 (51,400) - 46,946 20,636

Vessels - - - (49) (107) (5) (116) - 1,902 95 (859) - 1,043 95

Aircraft - - - - 218 2 (107) - 1,933 8 (1,479) - 454 8

Vehicles - - (2) (239) (291) 299 (692) - 16,551 2,159 (7,654) - 8,897 2,159

Subtotal - - (344) (19,857) 10,727 (9) (13,549) - 173,109 23,153 (79,071) - 94,038 23,153

Grand Total $- - $(344) (19,857) $45,848 (9) $(15,706) - $201,340 23,153 $(79,071) - $122,269 23,153
40 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Note 8: Analysis of Changes in Seized Property and Currency

Seized property and currency result primarily from enforcement activities. Seized property is not legally owned by the Fund until judicially or 

administratively forfeited. Because of the fungible nature of currency and the high level of control necessary over these assets and the possibility that 

these monies may be returned to their owners in lieu of forfeiture, seized currency is reported as a custodial asset upon seizure. Seized property other 

than currency is reported as a custodial asset upon forfeiture. The following schedule presents the changes in the seized property and currency balances 

from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017. (Dollar value is in thousands)

9/30/16 Financial

Statement Balance Seizures

 

Remissions Forfeitures Adjustments Value Changes

9/30/17 Financial 

Statement Balance

Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No

.

Value No.

Currency $1,518,587 - $459,036 - $(165,398) - $(353,185) - $57,727 - $(300) - $1,516,467 -

Other 

Monetary 

Instruments 14,203 - 82 - (7) - (1,836) - 125 - - - 12,567

-

Subtotal 1,532,790 - 459,118 - (165,405) - (355,021) - 57,852 - (300) - 1,529,034 -

Real Property 222,587 572 41,186 115 (14,271) (41) (34,376) (132) 6,247 20 (8,460) - 212,913 534

General 

Property

272,833 29,455 210,312 30,103 (26,081) (3,738) (14,352) (21,574) 3,985 (267) (10,316) - 436,381 33,979

Vessels 5,350 112 2,600 148 (426) (15) (896) (114) (121) (14) (95) - 6,412 117

Aircraft 18,909 30 3,998 20 (781) (6) (1,133) (11) (3,702) (7) (2,161) - 15,130 26

Vehicles 47,053 4,710 87,682 12,106 (56,680) (4,389) (29,565) (7,811) (3,257) (389) (891) - 44,342 4,227

Subtotal 566,732 34,879 345,778 42,492 (98,239) (8,189) (80,322) (29,642) 3,152 (657) (21,923) - 715,178 38,883

Grand Total $2,099,522 34,879 $804,896 42,492 $(263,644) (8,189) $(435,343) (29,642) $61,004 (657) (22,223) - $2,244,212 38,883
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 41

Note 8: Analysis of Changes in Seized Property and Currency (Continued)

Seized property and currency result primarily from enforcement activities. Seized property is not legally owned by the Fund until judicially or 

administratively forfeited. Because of the fungible nature of currency and the high level of control necessary over these assets and the possibility that 

these monies may be returned to their owners in lieu of forfeiture, seized currency is reported as a custodial asset upon seizure. Seized property other 

than currency is reported as a custodial asset upon forfeiture. The following schedule presents the changes in the seized property and currency balances 

from October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016. (Dollar value is in thousands)

9/30/15 Financial

Statement Balance Seizures

 

Remissions Forfeitures Adjustments Value Changes

9/30/16 Financial 

Statement Balance

Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No. Value No

.

Value No.

Currency $1,558,930 - $811,594 - $(144,702) - $(678,689) - $(25,795) - $(2,751) - $1,518,587 -

Other 

Monetary 

Instruments 4,576 - 10,535 - - - (12) - (896) - - - 14,203

-

Subtotal 1,563,506 - 822,129 - (144,702) - (678,701) - (26,691) - (2,751) - 1,532,790 -

Real Property 205,751 641 98,860 187 (46,536) (78) (34,557) (166) 10,949 (12) (11,880) - 222,587 572

General 

Property

308,430 28,269 62,237 34,094 (21,342) (5,921) (64,976) (23,361) (5,358) (3,626) (6,158) - 272,833 29,455

Vessels 5,247 128 3,885 143 (767) (19) (1,860) (132) (72) (8) (1,083) - 5,350 112

Aircraft 13,610 39 12,221 15 (4,106) (10) (2,308) (11) (520) (3) 12 - 18,909 30

Vehicles 54,185 4,683 85,713 12,663 (56,005) (3,946) (33,973) (8,216) (2,128) (474) (739) - 47,053 4,710

Subtotal 587,223 33,760 262,916 47,102 (128,756) (9,974) (137,674) (31,886) 2,871 (4,123) (19,848) - 566,732 34,879

Grand Total $2,150,729 33,760 $1,085,045 47,102 $(273,458) (9,974) $(816,375) (31,886) $(23,820) (4,123) (22,599) - $2,099,522 34,879
42 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Note 9: Permanent Reduction/Transfer to the General Fund

The unobligated balance is usually available to cover costs related to seizures and forfeitures and 

certain other law enforcement activities. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 permanently 

cancelled $314 million. This permanent reduction or cancellation means that the amount will never 

be used for its intended purposes. The cancelled funds were transferred to the General Fund on May

25, 2017. In fiscal year 2016, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 permanently cancelled 

$3.8 billion. The cancelled funds were transferred to the General Fund on March 30, 2016.

Note 10: Distributions Payable

Distributions Payable (state and local agencies and foreign governments) amounted to $32.8 million

and $76.3 million as of September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Fund management recognizes as 

a liability a portion (based on the average of historical pay-out percentage) of the equitable sharing 

requests, that were approved or in final stages of approval on September 30, 2017 and 2016, 

respectively. Prior experience with the nature of this account indicated that a substantial portion of 

these requests were certain to be paid out by the Fund during the following fiscal year.

Note 11: Net Position

Cumulative Results of Operations

The following summarizes components of cumulative results of operations as of September 30, 2017

and 2016, respectively (dollars in thousands):

2017 2016

Retained Capital $ 2,158,651 $ 5,580,205

Unliquidated Obligations 431,793 487,648

Net Results of Operations (342,246) (3,477,409)

$ 2,248,198 $ 2,590,444

Unliquidated Obligations

The following summarizes the components of unliquidated obligations as of September 30, 2017 and 

2016 respectively (dollars in thousands):

2017 2016

Equitable Sharing $ 210,405 $ 252,675

Mandatory 221,388 234,973

 $ 431,793 $ 487,648

Note 12: Related Party Transactions

The Fund reimbursed agencies for the purchase of certain capital assets. These assets are reported by 

the participating agencies in their financial statements.
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 43

Note 13: Strategic Support

31 USC 9705 (g)(4)(B) allows for the expenditure, without fiscal year limitation, after the reservation 

of amounts needed to continue operations of the Fund. This “Strategic Support” balance may be used 

for law enforcement activities of any federal agency. 

Amounts distributed to other federal agencies for law enforcement activities under “Strategic 

Support” requirements amounts to $39.5 million in fiscal year 2017. In fiscal year 2016, the Fund 

reported a Transfer-In of $0.6 million from other federal agencies.

The following summarizes Strategic Support payments, net of Transfers-In as of September 30, 2017

and 2016, respectively, (dollars in thousands):

 2017 2016

Transfers - Out $ (39,537) $ (1,054)

Transfers - In 40 1,694

Total $ (39,497) $ 640

Note 14: Secretary’s Enforcement Fund

31 USC 9705(b)(5) is another category of permanent indefinite authority. These funds are available 

to the Secretary, without further action by Congress and without fiscal year limitation, for federal law 

enforcement purposes of Treasury law enforcement organizations. The source of Section 9705(b)(5) 

funds is equitable sharing payments received from the Department of Justice and the U.S. Postal 

Service (USPS) representing Treasury's share of forfeiture proceeds from Justice and USPS cases. 

Amounts distributed for federal law enforcement purposes of Treasury law enforcement 

organizations amounted to $5.9 million and $57.4 million in fiscal years 2017 and 2016, respectively.

The following summarizes Secretary’s Enforcement Fund payments, net of Transfers-In as of 

September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, (dollars in thousands):

 2017 2016

Transfers - Out $ (7,015) $ (57,828) 

Transfers - In 1,105 412

Total $ (5,910) $ (57,416)

Note 15: Commitments and Contingencies

COMMITMENTS

The Fund is subject to equitable sharing claims from participating state and local law enforcement 

agencies. A portion of these claims that were in final stages of approval have been recognized as 

liabilities as of September 30 (See Note 10).
44 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

In addition to the amounts estimated above, there are other amounts, which may ultimately be shared, 

that are not identified at this time.

As a result of an October 2014 policy change and a series of recent Congressional hearings, on June 

17, 2016, the Fund mailed several hundred letters to parties who received notice of administrative and 

judicial forfeitures in certain structuring forfeiture cases that occurred from approximately October 

2009 to the time of the policy change when such cases ceased. The letters offer these parties a 

chance to file petitions for remission or mitigation for the money that was previously forfeited. 

The petitions filed to date total approximately $38.4, million, of which $10.7 million were granted 

and paid in FY 2017. During 2017, $14.1 million of these petitions were denied, closed out, or 

withdrawn. The remaining $13.6 million are now being reported as commitments.

The forfeitures were all deposited into the Fund in prior fiscal years and disposed of according to law. 

The Fund plans to reserve sufficient funding from current or future fiscal years to cover any granted 

petitions. It is anticipated that the Fund will be asked to pay any granted petitions or mitigations on a 

rolling basis, i.e., as they are granted. 

CONTINGENCIES

As of September 30, 2017, the Fund had future expenditures of $404.8 million (see Note 17) for 

refunds and equitable sharing matters, which are reasonably estimable. The future expenditures are 

based upon the best estimate of costs to be incurred for refunds in light of the progress made by 

seizing agencies and the relevant United States Attorney’s Offices in achieving a resolution to 

forfeitures. Additionally, part of the amount will soon be equitably shared with the Department of 

Justice pursuant to a long-standing memorandum of agreement.

In the opinion of the Fund management and legal counsel, there are no pending or threatened 

litigation claims for which the amount of potential loss, individually, or in aggregate, will have a 

material adverse effect on the Fund’s financial statements.

Note 16: Disclosures Related to the Statements of Net Cost

Gross costs and earned revenue related to Law Enforcement Programs administered by the Fund are 

presented in Treasury’s budget functional classification (in thousands) as set out below:

2017 2016

Gross Costs $ 221,532 $ 199,514

Earned Revenues - -

Net Costs $ 221,532 $ 199,514

The Fund falls under the Treasury’s budget functional classification related to Administration of 

Justice.
SECTION III - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES 45

Note 17: Disclosures Related to the Statements of Budgetary Resources

The Fund’s net amount of budgetary resources obligated at the end of fiscal years 2017 and 2016

were $559.7 million and $653.2 million, respectively. This amount is fully covered by cash on hand 

in the Fund and Entity Investments. The Fund does not have borrowing or contract authority and, 

therefore, has no repayment requirements, financing sources for repayment, or other terms of 

borrowing authority. There are no legal arrangements, outside of normal government wide 

restrictions, specifically affecting the Fund’s use of unobligated balances of budget authority.

Adjustments to budgetary resources available at the beginning of fiscal years 2017 and 2016 consist 

of the following (in thousands):

2017 2016

Recoveries of Prior Year Unpaid Obligations $ 41,094 $ 499,317

Other Changes in Unobligated Balance 528 -

Total $ 41,622 $ 499,317

The Fund was required to change its methodology for recognizing remissions and equitable sharing 

obligations beginning in FY 2016. Under the newly adopted method, an obligation for refunds or 

remissions will be created only upon receipt of a Ruling Letter from the Department of Justice for 

judicial forfeiture cases or from Fund member agencies for administrative forfeitures. Additionally, 

obligations related to equitable sharing will be recognized upon TEOAF’s approval of Fund member 

agencies’ request for transfers and related distribution percentages and amounts on the Decision 

Form. Consequently, the Fund has future expenditures and commitments from remissions and 

equitable sharing that will be funded from the September 30, 2017 unobligated balance. 

The following shows anticipated reductions to the unobligated balances of budget authority resulting 

from these future expenditures and commitments for fiscal years 2017 and 2016.

The change in the methodology for recognizing remissions and equitable sharing obligations was 

accounted for as a change in accounting estimate on a prospective basis effective October 1, 2015

(See Note 15).

2017 2016

Unobligated balance $ 668,529 $ 1,034,832

Future expenditures (Note 15):

Refund and remissions (344,498) (301,921)

Equitable sharing (60,283) (143,500)

Total future expenditures (404,781) (445,421)

Commitments (Note 15) (13,633) (40,000)

Total reductions to unobligated balance (418,414) (485,421)

Unobligated balance net of future expenditures, and 

commitments $ 250,115 $ 549,411

Note 18: Dedicated Collections 

The Fund is classified as a special fund. All its activities are reported as dedicated collections held 

for later use.
46 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Note 19: Payments in Lieu of Forfeiture, Net of Refunds

The following summarizes Payments in Lieu of Forfeiture, Net of Refunds as of September 30, 2017

and 2016, respectively (dollars in thousands):

2017 2016

Payments in Lieu of Forfeiture $ 11,104 $ 22,704

Refunds (2,264) (5,782)

Total $ 8,840 $ 16,922

Note 20: Reconciliation of Net Cost of Operations (Proprietary) to Budget

The reconciliation of Net Cost of Operations to Budget demonstrates the relationship between the 

Fund’s proprietary (net cost of operations) and budgetary accounting (net obligations) information (in 

thousands).

2017 2016

Resources Used to Finance Activities: 

 Budgetary resources obligated

Obligations incurred $ 526,228 $ 508,746

Less: Spending authority from offsetting

 Collections and recoveries (41,622) (499,317)

Net Obligations 484,606 9,429

 Other resources

Transfers – out (359,407) (3,856,776)

Total Resources Used to Finance Activities 125,199

 

(3,847,347)

Resources Used to Finance Items not Part of the Net 

 Cost of Operations

Change in budgetary resources obligated for goods,

 services and benefits ordered but not yet provided 370,096 4,346,184

Other resources or adjustments to net obligated 

 resources that do not affect net cost of operations

Mortgages and claims (2,450) (2,896)

Refunds (2,264) (5,782)

Equitable Sharing (federal, state/local and foreign) (191,854) (243,437)

Victim restitution (77,195) (47,208)

Total Resources Used to Finance Items not Part of the Net 

 Cost of Operations 96,333 4,046,861

Total Resources Used to Finance the Net Cost of Operations 221,532 199,514

Net Cost of Operations $ 221,532 $ 199,514
SECTION IV

REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

(UNAUDITED)
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SECTION IV – REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) 47

Intragovernmental Amounts – Assets (Dollars in thousands) 2017 2016

Partner Agency

Fund 

Balance 

with 

Treasury Investments

Fund 

Balance 

with 

Treasury Investments

Treasury $ 35,607 - $ - $ 36,902 $ -

Bureau of the Fiscal 

Service - 3,124,344 - 3,481,996

Totals _$ 35,607 $ 3,124,344 $ 36,902 $ 3,481,996

Intragovernmental Amounts – Liabilities (Dollars in thousands) 

Partner Agency

2017

Accounts 

Payable

2016

Accounts 

Payable

Department of Justice $ 6,309 $ 3,285

Department of Homeland Security 59,921 57,333

Departmental Offices 2,888 6,185

Treasury Office of the Inspector 

General 131 127

FinCen -

 

90

Tax and Trade 348 110

Treasury Franchise Fund 90 -

Internal Revenue Service 18,095 14,003

Totals $ 87,782 $ 81,133

Intragovernmental Amounts – Revenues and Costs (Dollars in thousands)

2017 2016

Budget Functions

Cost to Generate 

Exchange 

Intragovernmental 

Revenue

Costs to Generate 

Non-Exchange 

Intragovernmental 

Revenue

Cost to Generate 

Exchange 

Intragovernmental 

Revenue

Costs to Generate 

Non-Exchange 

Intragovernmental 

Revenue

Administration of Justice $ - $ 154,824 $ - $ 138,234
48 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

Intragovernmental Amounts – Non-exchange Revenue (Dollars in thousands): 

Partner Agency

2017 2016

Transfers

In

Transfers

Out

Net

Transfers

In (Out)

Transfers

In

Transfers

Out

Net

Transfers

In (Out)

Department of Homeland Security $ 23 $ (29,816) $ (29,793) $ 1,321 $ (39,759) $ (38,438)

Internal Revenue Service 1,121 (16,513) (15,392) 785 (19,113) (18,328)

Financial Crimes

Enforcement Network - - - - (10) (10)

Tax and Trade - (200) (200) - - -

Department of Defense - (22) (22) - - -

General Fund - (314,000) (314,000) - (3,800,000) (3,800,000)

$ 1,144 ($360,551) ($359,407) $ 2,106 ($ 3,858,882) ($3,856,776)
SECTION V

OTHER ACCOMPANYING INFORMATION

(UNAUDITED)
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SECTION V –OTHER ACCOMPANYING INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) 49

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND

Equitable Sharing Summarized by State and U.S. Territories

For the Year Ended September 30, 2017

(Dollars in Thousands)

(Unaudited)

State/U.S. Territories Currency Value Property Value

Alabama $ 490 $ -

Alaska 6 -

Arizona 238 2

Arkansas 330 6

California 8,149 146

Colorado 176 140

Connecticut 311 -

D.C. Washington 77 -

Delaware 66 -

Florida 2,579 595

Georgia 4,590 -

Guam 7 -

Hawaii 130 -

Idaho 74 65

Illinois 5,107 161

Indiana 844 3

Iowa 51 -

Kansas 7 -

Kentucky 346 -

Louisiana 34 -

Maine 1,096 3

Maryland 1,317 3

Massachusetts 1,942 81

Michigan 234 99

Minnesota 2,667 6

Mississippi 210 -

Missouri 430 -

Montana 43 -

Nebraska 591 14

Nevada 2,149 14

New Jersey 1,018 1,001

New Hampshire 1 -

New Mexico - -

New York 14,030 3,071

North Carolina 1,915 -

North Dakota - -

Ohio 806 28

Oklahoma 764 670

Oregon 595 102

Pennsylvania 1,271 100

Puerto Rico 211 -

Rhode Island 43 -

South Carolina 1,317 3

South Dakota 60 -

Tennessee 484 -

Texas 4,223 1,294

Utah 825 276

Subtotal carried forward $ 61,854 $7,883
50 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND

Equitable Sharing Summarized by State and U.S. Territories

For the Year Ended September 30, 2017

(Dollars in Thousands)

(Unaudited)

State/U.S. Territories Currency Value Property Value

Subtotal brought forward 61,854 7,883

Vermont 7 -

Virgin Islands - -

Virginia 7,061 -

Washington 366 -

West Virginia 1,441 -

Wisconsin 70 8

Wyoming - -

Totals $70,799 $ 7,891

Summarized above are the currency and property values of assets forfeited and shared with state and local 

agencies and U.S. Territories participating in the seizure. This supplemental schedule is not a required part of 

the financial statement of the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. Information presented on this 

schedule represents assets physically transferred during the year and, therefore, does not agree with total assets 

shared with state and local agencies in the financial statements. In addition, the above numbers do not include 

the adjustment to present property distributed at net realizable value.
SECTION V –OTHER ACCOMPANYING INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) 51

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND

Uncontested Seizures of Currency and Monetary Instruments Valued Over

$100 Thousand Taking More Than 120 Days from Seizure to Deposit in Fund

For the Year Ended September 30, 2017

(Dollars in Thousands)

31 U.S.C. 9705(f)(2)(E) requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report annually to Congress 

uncontested seizures of currency or proceeds of monetary instruments over $100 thousand which were 

not deposited in the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund within 120 days of the seizure date. 

There were 44 administrative seizures over $100 thousand over 120 days old totaling $15,581 that had not 

been transferred from the Seized Currency Suspense Account to the Treasury Forfeiture Fund as of the 

end of FY 2017.
52 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND

Analysis of Revenue and Expenses and Distributions

For the Year Ended September 30, 2017

(Dollars in Thousands) 

Revenue, Expenses and Distributions by Asset Category:

Revenue

Expenses and 

Distributions

Vehicles $ 18,731 $ 48,039

Vessels 5,203 61,206

Aircraft 5,203 19,718

General Property 16,650 194,272

Real Property 58,274 7,609

Currency and monetary instruments 408,395 181,612

512,456 512,456

Less:

 Mortgages and claims (2,450) (2,450)

 Refunds (2,264) (2,264)

Add:

 Excess of net revenues and financing sources over total program 

expenses

 - -

Total $ 507,742 $ 507,742

Revenue, Transfers, Expenses and Distributions by Type of 

Disposition:

Sales of property and forfeited currency and monetary instruments $ 240,077 $ 97,365

Reimbursed storage costs 3,330 51,246

Assets shared with state and local agencies 64,306 64,306

Assets shared with other federal agencies 124,595 124,595

Assets shared with foreign countries 2,953 2,953

Victim Restitution 77,195 77,195

Destructions - 61,495

Pending disposition - 33,301

512,456 512,456

Less:

 Mortgages and claims (2,450) (2,450)

 Refunds (2,264) (2,264)

Add:

 Excess of net revenues and financing sources over total program 

expenses

 - -

Total $ 507,742 $ 507,742

The revenue amount of $507,742 is from the Statement of Changes in Net Position. This supplemental 

schedule “Analysis of Revenues, Expenses and Distributions” is required under the Treasury Forfeiture Fund 

Act of 1992. 
SECTION V –OTHER ACCOMPANYING INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) 53

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND

Schedule of Spending

For the Years Ended September 30, 2017 and 2016

(Dollars in Thousands) 

2017 2016

What Money is Available to Spend? 

Total resources $1,194,757 $1,543,578

 Less amount not agreed to be spent (557,363) (527,534)

Less amount not available to be spent (111,166) (507,298)

 Total Amounts Agreed to be Spent $ 526,228 $ 508,746

How was the Money Spent?

 

Other contractual services $ 214,750 $ 228,544

Supplies and materials 19 14

Grants, subsidies and contributions 220,889 188,678

Interest and dividends 32 5

Refunds 43,757 34,348

Others (i.e. unvouchered, undistributed) 46,781 57,157

Total Amounts Agreed to be Spent $ 526,228 $ 508,746

Who did the Money go to?

Federal $ 200,957 $ 231,916

Non-Federal : 

 State/Local/Tribal/Foreign Governments 220,889 188,678

 Business and Organizations 63,109 56,820

 Individuals 41,273 31,332

 Total Amounts Agreed to be Spent $ 526,228 $ 508,746
54 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND

Information Required by 31 U.S.C. 9705(f)

For the Year Ended September 30, 2017

(Dollars in Thousands)

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund Act of 1992, 31 U.S.C. 9705(f), requires the Secretary of the Treasury to 

transmit to Congress, no later than February 1, of each year, certain information. The following 

summarizes the required information.

(1) A report on:

(A) The estimated total value of property forfeited with respect to which funds were not deposited in the 

Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund during the preceding fiscal year under any law 

enforced or administered by the Department of the Treasury law enforcement organizations or the 

United States Coast Guard, in the case of fiscal years beginning after 1993.

As reported in the audited financial statements, at September 30, 2017, the Fund had forfeited 

property held for sale of $67,670. The realized proceeds will be deposited in the Fund when 

the property is sold.

Upon seizure, currency and other monetary instruments not needed for evidence in judicial 

proceedings are deposited in a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) suspense account. 

Upon forfeiture, it is transferred to the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. At September 30, 2017, 

there was $23,408 of forfeited currency and other monetary instruments that had not yet been 

transferred to the Fund. This is reported as a part of “Cash and Other Monetary Assets” in 

the audited financial statements.

(B) The estimated total value of all such property transferred to any state or local law enforcement 

agency.

The estimated total value of all such property transferred to any state or local law 

enforcement bureau is summarized by state and U.S. territories. Total currency transferred 

was $70,799 and total property transferred was $7,891 at appraised value.

(2) A report on:

(A) The balance of the Fund at the beginning of the preceding fiscal year.

The total net position of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund on September 30, 2016 which became 

the beginning balance for the Fund on October 1, 2016, as reported in the audited financial 

statements is $2,590,444.
SECTION V –OTHER ACCOMPANYING INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) 55

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND

Information Required by 31 U.S.C. 9705(f)

For the Year Ended September 30, 2017

(Dollars in Thousands)

(B) Liens and mortgages paid and the amount of money shared with federal, state, local and foreign law 

enforcement bureaus during the preceding fiscal year.

Mortgages and claims expense, as reported in the audited financial statements, was $2,450. 

The amount actually paid on a cash basis was not materially different.

The amount of forfeited currency and property shared with federal, and distributed to state, 

local and foreign law enforcement bureaus as reported in the audited financial statements was 

as follows:

Amount

State and local $64,306

Foreign countries 2,953

Other federal agencies 124,595

Victim restitution 77,195

(C) The net amount realized from the operations of the Fund during the preceding fiscal year, the 

amount of seized cash being held as evidence, and the amount of money that has been carried over 

into the current fiscal year.

The net cost of operations of the Fund as shown in the audited financial statements is 

$221,532.

The amount of seized currency not on deposit in the Fund’s suspense account at September 

30, 2017, was $720,341. This amount includes some funds in the process of being deposited at 

year-end, cash seized in August or September 2017 that is pending determination of its 

evidentiary value from the U.S. Attorney, and the currency seized for forfeiture being held as 

evidence.

On a budgetary basis, unobligated balances as originally reported on the Office of 

Management and Budget Reports, SF-133, “Report on Budget Execution” was approximately 

$668,529 for fiscal year 2017. This excluded $1,084,050 in FY 2017 rescinded authority that 

was classified as “temporary” and $38,800 precluded from obligation. If these figures are 

added to the unobligated balances at the end of FY 2017, the figure became $1,791,379.
56 TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT – FISCAL YEAR 2017

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND

Information Required by 31 U.S.C. 9705(f)

For the Year Ended September 30, 2017

(Dollars in Thousands)

(D) Any defendant’s property not forfeited at the end of the preceding fiscal year, if the equity in such 

property is valued at $1 million or more.

The total approximate value of such property for the Treasury Forfeiture Fund, at estimated 

values determined by bureau and contractor’s officials, and the number of seizures is as 

follows:

Bureau Amount Number

CBP $ 281,441 74 seizures

IRS 883,683 119 seizures

U.S. Secret Service 16,762 10 seizures

(E) The total dollar value of uncontested seizures of monetary instruments having a value of over $100 

thousand which, or the proceeds of which, have not been deposited into the Fund within 120 days 

after the seizure, as of the end of the preceding fiscal year.

The total dollar value of such seizures is $15,581. This is also documented on page 51.

(F) The balance of the Fund at the end of the current fiscal year.

The total net position of the Fund at September 30, 2017, as reported in the audited financial 

statements is $2,248,198.

(G) The net amount, if any, of the excess unobligated amounts remaining in the Fund at the end of the 

preceding fiscal year and available to the Secretary for Federal law enforcement related purposes.

There is no cap on amounts that can be carried forward into Fiscal Year 2017 per the fiscal 

year 1997 Omnibus Appropriations Act (PL 104-208).

(H) A complete set of audited financial statements prepared in a manner consistent with the 

requirements of the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990.

The audited financial statements, including the Independent Auditor’s Report, are found in 

Sections II and III.

(I) An analysis of income and expense showing revenue received or lost: (i) by property category 

(such as general property, vehicles, vessels, aircraft, cash, and real property); and (ii) by type of 

disposition (such as sale, remission, cancellation, placement into official use, sharing with state and 

local agencies, and destruction).

A separate schedule is presented on page 52.