Treasury Forfeiture Fund 

Mission Statement 

To affirmatively influence the consistent and strategic use of asset forfeiture by law 

enforcement bureaus participating in the Fund to disrupt and dismantle criminal 

enterprises. 

Program Summary by Account Dollars in Thousands 

FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008

Obligated Estimated Estimated $ Change % Change 

Asset Forfeiture Fund $313,957 $270,000 $270,000 $0 0.00%

Total Resources $313,957 $270,000 $270,000 $0 0.00%

FY 2008 Priorities 

A top priority of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund is to continue to cultivate and strengthen 

relationships at the federal, state, and local levels through the use of training and funding 

initiatives focusing on investigations that will have the greatest impact on disrupting and 

dismantling criminal enterprise. Additional priorities for FY 2008 include: 

• Educate and focus stakeholders and others on the vision and mission of 

Treasury’s multi-Departmental asset forfeiture program, 

• Focus resources in a high-impact manner that enhances enforcement against: 

terrorist financing, illegal immigration, bulk cash smuggling, and money 

laundering, providing support to the National Money Laundering Strategy,

• Foster and support the investment of forfeiture resources in the needs of the 

participating law enforcement bureaus, including new technologies and data 

collection, in order to promote program excellence and strengthen the overall 

quality of high-impact criminal investigations, 

• Reinforce relationships with member bureaus that extend across Departmental 

boundaries and with state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies that 

“extend the reach” of federal law enforcement, and

• Develop and modify forfeiture training and awareness programs that are 

responsive to today’s needs and continually re-evaluate such training 

initiatives for best practices. 
Table of Contents 

Section 1 – Purpose ........................................................................................................... 2

1A – Description of Bureau Vision and Priorities.......................................................... 2 

1B – Program History and Future Outlook..................................................................... 3 

1C – Industry Outlook .................................................................................................... 3 

Section 2 – Budget Adjustments and Appropriations Language ................................. 4

2.2 – Operating Levels Table.......................................................................................... 4 

2B – Appropriations Language....................................................................................... 4 

2C – Legislative Proposals.............................................................................................. 4 

Section 3 – Budget and Performance Plan ..................................................................... 5

3.1 – Resource Detail Table............................................................................................ 5 

3A – Asset Forfeiture Fund............................................................................................. 5 

3.2.1 – Asset Forfeiture Fund Budget and Performance Plan......................................... 6 

Section 4 – Supporting Materials.................................................................................... 8

4.1 – Human Resources Table ........................................................................................ 8 

4A – Human Capital Strategy Description ..................................................................... 8 

4B – Information Technology Strategy .......................................................................... 8 

4.3 – PART Evaluation Table......................................................................................... 8 

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Section 1 – Purpose

1A – Description of Bureau Vision and Priorities 

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 bureaus participating in 

the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. The member bureaus include the Internal Revenue 

Service’s Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the U.S. Secret Service (Secret 

Service.) The latter three bureaus are part of the Department of Homeland Security, 

transferred as part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. These member bureaus are 

joined by the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, as the result of a 

long-standing close law enforcement relationship with legacy Customs. 

Vision: The focus of Fund management is on strategic cases and investigations that 

result in high-impact forfeitures. Management believes this approach will have the 

greatest impact on criminal organizations and thus will accomplish the ultimate mission 

of the Fund to disrupt and dismantle criminal enterprises. The enhancement of forfeiture 

activity requires longer, more in-depth investigations. To this end, Fund management 

emphasizes the use of mandatory funding authorities that fund large case initiatives, 

including the purchase of evidence and information, joint operations expenses, 

investigative expenses leading to seizure, and asset identification and removal teams. In 

addition, it is also a priority to fund revenue-enhancing projects such as major case 

funding, database development and computer forensics through the use of the Secretary’s 

Enforcement Fund or Super Surplus funds when available. 

Priorities: Asset seizure and forfeiture is a priority for the Fund’s participating law 

enforcement organizations, as well as the Department of Treasury, and is linked directly 

to the National Money Laundering Strategies. In this regard, management has identified 

the following priorities for mission success: 

• Continue to educate and focus stakeholders, and others, on the vision and mission 

of Treasury’s multi-Departmental asset forfeiture program (i.e., affirmatively 

influence the consistent and strategic use of asset forfeiture by law enforcement 

bureaus participating in the Treasury Forfeiture Fund to disrupt and dismantle 

criminal enterprises), 

• Focus resources in a manner that enhances support of law enforcement’s national 

money laundering strategy and anti-terrorism financing efforts, and 

• Foster and support the investment of forfeiture resources in the needs of the 

participating law enforcement bureaus in order to promote program excellence 

and strengthen the overall quality of criminal investigations. 

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1B – Program History and Future Outlook 

Program History: The Treasury Forfeiture Fund continued in its capacity as a multiDepartmental Fund in FY 2006, representing the forfeiture interests of the law 

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

the midst of this period of growth and change, the Fund’s 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. FY 2006 continued a pattern of 

robust revenue years with income from forfeitures and recoveries totaling nearly $306 

million. 

Program Outlook: Management forecasts a continued vigorous program for FY 2007 and 

FY 2008 with forfeiture revenue estimated at $270 million for each year. 

1C – Industry Outlook 

FY 2007: Fund management 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 that emphasizes 

high impact cases. 

FY 2008: Fund management plans to: continue investment in technologies and data 

collection; encourage bureaus to pursue high-impact major cases and establish financial 

plans that reflect such priorities; further develop and modify forfeiture training and 

forfeiture awareness programs that are responsive to today’s needs and designed to foster 

the understanding and application of asset forfeiture; and to continually re-evaluate the 

basic methods of operation to ensure that this methodology is the best one. 

Fund management will continue its work to reinforce relationships with member bureaus 

that extend across Departmental boundaries to ensure that the vision, mission, and 

operating strategies and policies of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund continue to be 

recognized by the various Departments. 

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Section 2 – Budget Adjustments and Appropriations Language 

2.2 – Operating Levels Table 

Dollars in Thousands 

Account Title: Treasury Forfeiture Fund FY 2006

Obligated

FY 2007 

Estimated 

FY 2008

Estimated

FTE 20 20 20

Object Classification:

25.2 Other Services........................................ 95,616 130,000 130,000

25.3 Purchase of Goods/Serv. from Govt. Acc 134,187 84,936 52,000

41.0 Grants, Subsidies................................... 84,154 88,000 88,000

Total Operating.......................................... $313,957 $302,936 $270,000

2B – Appropriations Language 

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund does not receive any discretionary appropriation authority 

from the Congress and, therefore, does not have appropriations language. 

2C – Legislative Proposals 

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund has no Legislative Proposals for FY 2008. 

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Section 3 – Budget and Performance Plan

3.1 – Resource Detail Table 

Dollars in Thousands 

% Change

FY 2007

to FY 2008

AMOUNT AMOUNT AMOUNT AMOUNT

Summary of Revenue and Expenses:

Revenue:

Carryover from prior year and

recoveries

125,706 82,936 50,000 -39.71%

Current year forfeiture revenue 271,187 270,000 270,000 0.00%

Total Revenue $396,893 $352,936 $320,000 -9.33%

Expenses:

Permanent Authority 313,957 302,936 270,000 -10.87%

 Subtotal Manufacturing and Sales $313,957 $302,936 $270,000 -10.87%

Carryover to next year * $82,936 $50,000 $50,000 0.00%

*

Estimated

The Fund incurs expenses at the start of the year for an array of property contacts, so a carryover is

required every year.

FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008

Actual Estimated

3A – Asset Forfeiture Fund ($270,000,000 from reimbursable programs): The function 

of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund is to ensure resources are managed to cover the costs of 

an effective asset seizure and forfeiture program, including the costs of seizing, 

evaluating, inventorying, maintaining, protecting, advertising, forfeiting and disposing of 

property. Asset forfeiture is used by federal law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle 

criminal enterprises. 

Summary of Treasury Forfeiture Fund Authorities: The Treasury Forfeiture Fund is a 

special fund with permanent, indefinite authority. Special funds are federal fund 

collections that are earmarked by law for a specific purpose, and which consist of 

separate receipt and expenditure accounts. The enabling legislation for the Treasury 

Forfeiture Fund (31 U.S.C. § 9703) defines those purposes for which Treasury forfeiture 

revenue may be used. The funds can be allocated and used without the enactment of an 

annual appropriation by Congress. 

A forfeiture process begins once property or cash is seized. Upon forfeiture, seized 

currency, initially deposited into suspense, 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 forfeiture revenue that composes the 

budget authority for meeting expenses of running the Treasury Forfeiture Fund program. 

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

costs are met first. Expenses may not exceed revenue in the Fund. 

Types of spending authority of the Fund: 

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 seizure, equitable shares are paid to 

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

level proportionate to their involvement. 

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

from the Department of Justice or U.S. Postal Service (USPS) forfeitures. These 

shares represent Treasury’s portion in the overall investigative effort that lead to a 

Justice or USPS forfeiture. SEF revenue is available for Federal law enforcement 

purposes of any law enforcement organization participating in the Treasury Forfeiture 

Fund. 

Super Surplus represents the remaining unobligated balance at the close of the fiscal 

year after an amount is reserved for Fund operations in the next fiscal year. Super 

Surplus can be used for any federal law enforcement purpose. 

3.2.1 – Asset Forfeiture Fund Budget and Performance Plan 

Dollars in Thousands 

Asset Forfeiture Fund Budget Activity Includes Strategic Objective F3A

FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008

Resource Level Obligated Obligated Obligated Estimated Estimated

Financial Resources

 Appropriated Resources $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

 Other Resources 315,597 340,583 313,957 270,000 270,000

Total Operating Level $315,597 $340,583 $313,957 $270,000 $270,000

Human Resources

 Appropriated FTE 0 0 0 0 0

 Other FTE 20 20 20 20 20

Total FTE (direct and reimbursable) 20 20 20 20 20

Asset Forfeiture Fund Budget Activity Includes Strategic Objective F3A

Measure FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008

Target 75% 75% 75% 75% 75%

Actual 83.95% 81% 72.93%

Percent of forfeited cash proceeds resulting from 

high-impact cases (%) (Oe) 

Met Yes Yes No

Key: Oe - Outcome Measure, E - Efficiency Measure, Ot - Output/Workload Measure, and M - Management/Cust. 

Satisfaction 

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Description of Performance 

For FY 2008, Fund management will measure the strategic performance of the 

participating law enforcement bureaus through the use of the 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. Fund management believes that focusing on 

strategic cases and investigations that result in high-impact seizures will do the greatest 

damage to criminal organizations while accomplishing the ultimate objective which is to 

disrupt and dismantle criminal activity. 

Target: A target of 75 percent high-impact cases has been set for this performance 

measure. The target allows for those cases which may not be high-impact in nature but 

that are important to the exercise of law enforcement. The measure is calculated by 

dividing the total amount of forfeited cash proceeds from cases equal to or greater than 

$100,000 by the total amount of forfeited cash proceeds for all cases. 

Performance Exceeds Target: Law enforcement bureaus participating in the Treasury 

Forfeiture Fund have exceeded the performance target in three of the last four fiscal 

years, only narrowly missing the target in FY 2006 as the result of forfeiture deposit 

timing. This achievement remains excellent given the extra demands placed on law 

enforcement personnel for anti-terrorism initiatives. 

For detailed information about each performance measure, including definition, 

verification and validation, please go to: 

http://www.treas.gov/offices/management/dcfo/accountability-reports/2006-

par/Part_IV_Appendices.pdf

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Section 4 – Supporting Materials 

4.1 – Human Resources Table 

Reimbursable FTE FY 2006 007 008

Fund Management 20

FY 2

20

FY 2

20

4A – Human Capital Strategy Description 

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund is managed by the Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture 

(EOAF), a policy office that reports to the Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing. 

EOAF reimburses Departmental Offices (DO) for a total of 20 FTE annually. 

4B – Information Technology Strategy 

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund uses the Departmental Offices’ systems, and is part of 

DO’s information technology strategy. 

4.3 – PART Evaluation Table 

The scheduling of PART evaluation is done by the Department and the Treasury 

Forfeiture Fund is not scheduled to be PARTed at this time. 

For a complete list of PART results visit the following website: 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/all.html

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