TREASURY 

FORFEITURE 

 FUND

ANNUAL REPORT 

FISCAL YEAR 2002

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

WASHINGTON, D.C.
Message from the Director 

I am pleased to present this Accountability Report for fiscal year (FY) 2002. While highlighting the Fund’s 

financial and operational performance over the past year, this report also focuses on some of the significant 

achievements and accomplishments made by our Treasury law enforcement bureaus. 

Although FY 2002 was a more modest year for the Treasury Forfeiture Fund in terms of forfeiture revenue 

deposits, Treasury law enforcement bureaus were successful and actively focused on activities related to 

homeland security and terrorist financing. Numerous seizures were made in this regard that may ultimately be 

deposited into the Fund in future years. Despite the lowered revenue, our bureaus continued to emphasize 

major case initiatives as evidenced by the near-target achievement of 73 percent high-impact cases, just shy of 

the 75 percent target for the year. With all of the challenges faced by Treasury law enforcement during FY 

2002, these achievements are notable. 

In other areas, the Fund and its participating law enforcement bureaus were highly active and successful during 

FY 2002. During the year, the Fund deployed the Forfeited Asset and Seized Property Tracking System 

(FASTRAK) to two Treasury law enforcement bureaus, a change designed to save significant amounts of 

money and provide more reliable inventory data over the system previously in use. FY 2002 marks the first 

year that FASTRAK will be used to support the inventory reporting for these two bureaus and indications are 

that we have a successful deployment of FASTRAK. 

The events of September 11, 2001 had a profound effect upon the United States and the world at large. The 

mission and major focus for many Federal law enforcement organizations shifted with the events of that day, 

and now anti-terrorism and terrorist financing investigations are a national priority. With the passage of the 

USA PATRIOT ACT in 2001, law enforcement agencies now have greater ability to investigate potential 

money laundering and terrorist financing operations. 

As we enter fiscal year 2003, the Fund is focused on continued support for money laundering and terrorist 

financing investigations. The Fund will also continue to support the development and implementation of the 

High Intensity Financial Crimes Area Task Forces (HIFCAs) which are an integral part of The 2002 National 

Money Laundering Strategy and a priority of Treasury’s Office of Enforcement. In addition, we plan to 

continue our investment in technologies and data collection; encourage our law enforcement bureaus to 

continue to pursue truly major cases and establish financial plans that reflect such priorities; and further develop 

and modify forfeiture training that is responsive to today’s needs and are designed to foster the understanding 

and application of asset forfeiture.

 

 Eric E. Hampl, Acting Director 

 Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture 
Table of Contents 

Section I: Overview 

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

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

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

Program Performance ...............................................................................................15 

Financial Highlights..................................................................................................17 

Section II: Financial Statements 

Independent Auditor’s Report on Financial Statements ...........................................21 

Financial Statements: 

Balance Sheets ....................................................................................................23 

Statements of Net Cost........................................................................................24 

Statements of Changes in Net Position...............................................................25 

Statements of Budgetary Resources....................................................................26 

Statements of Financing......................................................................................27 

Notes to Financial Statements.............................................................................28 

 

Section III: Other Reports 

Independent Auditor’s Report on Internal Control...................................................43 

Independent Auditor’s Report on Compliance with Laws and Regulations.............45 

Exhibit I 

 Reportable Condition..........................................................................................47 

Exhibit II 

 Status of Prior Year Findings..............................................................................49 

Section IV: 

Required Supplemental Information...............................................................................51 

Section V: 

Other Accompanying Information..................................................................................53 
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 Treasury law enforcement agencies and the 

United States Coast Guard. It was established in October of 1992 as the successor to the Forfeiture 

Fund of the United States Customs Service. When the enabling legislation for the Fund was enacted, 

it brought together all of Treasury law enforcement under a single forfeiture program. The member 

law enforcement bureaus of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund are the U.S. Customs Service (Customs), 

the U.S. Secret Service (Secret Service), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and 

the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). These Treasury bureaus are joined 

by the U.S. Coast Guard of the Department of Transportation, a member of the Fund as the result of a 

long-standing close law enforcement relationship with Customs. 

The Fund’s enabling legislation was first published in Public Law 102-393, enacted October 6, 1992, 

and is codified under Title 31 of the United States Code, Section 9703. 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. 

The Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture (EOAF), which provides management oversight of the 

Fund, falls under the auspices of the Under Secretary for Enforcement, U.S. Department of the 

Treasury. EOAF’s organizational structure includes the Fund Director, Legal Counsel, Assistant 

Director/Policy and Operations, and Assistant Director/Financial Management and Chief Financial 

Officer. Functional responsibilities are delegated to various team leaders. EOAF is located in 

Washington, D.C. and currently has 20 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 Treasury law enforcement bureaus 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 seizures. Management believes this approach affects the greatest damage to 

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

enterprises. 
Case Highlights 

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

cases worked by Treasury law enforcement bureaus during FY 2002 that led to 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, and that is to use asset forfeiture in high-impact cases to 

disrupt and dismantle criminal enterprises. 

U.S. Customs Service 

Operation Oasis

In an effort to maximize Customs enforcement operations in identifying, detecting, and halting the 

illegal exportation of unreported currency to terrorist entities, the U.S. Customs Service (Customs) 

coordinated a national outbound enforcement operation, dubbed Operation Oasis. The operation 

commenced on October 10, 2001 and continues. The Office of Investigations conducted this “pulse 

and surge” operation in concert with the Office of Field Operations. The targeted areas covered 

during the operation have been express consignment courier hubs and airports that pose an outbound 

currency threat. Since the inception of the operation, there have been over 378 seizures netting over 

$15.6 million in seized currency and/or property. 

Operation Wave Runner 

Operation Wave Runner is a San Juan High-Intensity Financial Crimes Area (HIFCA) enforcement 

initiative geared toward disrupting and dismantling international money laundering organizations 

utilizing Puerto Rico to illegally transship and/or export the proceeds from drug distribution. Multidisciplined law enforcement expertise is constructively applied in furtherance of the HIFCA’s 

investigative and enforcement related success. The effective counter-drug technique employed by 

this initiative is the use of intelligence provided by confidential sources that is ultimately developed 

into independent investigative leads through corroboration and surveillance. The leads have resulted 

in the identification of drug organizations members, bank accounts, stash houses, drug distribution 

points, and organization modus operandi. Subsequent follow up investigations resulted in the 

discovery and seizure of drug proceeds, illegal drugs, and firearms that have led to arrests. 

During FY 2002, Operation Wave Runner resulted in the arrest of 36 individuals and the seizure of 

nearly $4 million in U.S. Currency, 131 kilograms of cocaine, 3 kilograms of heroin, 10 vehicles and 

5 firearms. Several drug trafficking organizations have been identified as a direct result of these 

enforcement activities. This operation is an example of effective interagency coordination and has 

been instrumental in every facet of this initiative’s counter-drug effort. 

Operation Buccaneer

In December 2001, Customs agents, in coordination with foreign law enforcement, simultaneously 

executed numerous search warrants as part of an ongoing investigation into a global network of 

cyberspace gangs responsible for pirating billions of dollars in computer software. Agents seized 

more than 140 computers in Operation Buccaneer, a 15-month undercover investigation into software 

piracy over the Internet. The investigation began through the auspices of the “Drink or Die” Internet 

pirating group, which lead to the identification of a larger network known as the WAREZ 

community. Agents alleged that members of “Drink or Die” illegally copied and distributed all 

types of computer media including expensive business software applications, digital music and 

movies, and computer games over the Internet. Agents estimated there were over 1500 members 
worldwide. The computers and hard drives used were seized from software companies, private 

residences, and major universities such as Duke, MIT, Purdue, and Oregon. Investigators were quick 

to note that these legitimate establishments were merely victims of students or employees with access 

to their vast institutional computer networks. These enforcement actions represent law enforcement 

efforts to dismantle and disrupt illegal organizations attempting to undermine the stability of the ecommerce industry. 

Operation Wirecutter

Customs and Colombian law enforcement efforts resulted in the arrest of 37 people, the seizure of 

approximately $8 million and hundreds of pounds of narcotics. The undercover investigation began 

in 1999 when members of the Customs Eldorado Task Force identified Colombian money brokers 

allegedly involved in illegal money laundering activities through a “system” known as the Black 

Market Peso Exchange (BMPE). The BMPE has a negative effect on the international economy 

through the conversion of illicit U.S. drug proceeds into legitimate pesos. The combined 

enforcement efforts of the United States and Colombian governments serve as an example of the 

successful infiltration of an international criminal network. 

Operation Green Quest 

Created by the Treasury Department on Oct. 25, 2001, Operation Green Quest is a multi-agency 

financial enforcement initiative intended to augment existing counter-terrorist efforts by bringing the 

full scope of the government's financial expertise to bear against systems, individuals, and 

organizations that serve as sources of terrorist funding. The initiative is designed to harness the 

formidable financial expertise and authority of the Treasury Department to freeze accounts, seize 

assets, and, where appropriate, bring criminal actions against individuals and organizations that 

finance terrorist groups. 

Operation Green Quest is led by the U.S. Customs Service and includes agents and analysts from the 

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 

(ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the 

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Naval 

Criminal Investigative Service. Federal prosecutors from the Justice Department's Criminal Division 

also form an integral part of Operation Green Quest. Since it’s creation, Operation Green Quest has 

seized over $14 million in smuggled U.S. currency, executed 73 search warrants, made 29 arrests, 

and obtained 26 indictments. Currently, Operation Green Quest has more than 300 ongoing 

investigations into terrorist finances. 

Internal Revenue Service 

Checkered Past Adds to Northwoods Golf Club’s Allure 

As reported by the Green Bay Press Gazette and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 

“For Auction: Nine-hole golf course with shady past; nearly 200 acres overlooking 

scenic Menominee River. Previous owners got it as a steal.... To bid, prospective 

buyers must have $75,000 up front and should expect scrutiny 

into their background.... 

The government reserves the right to reject any bid.” 

The Chicago mobsters who ran the Four Seasons Golf Club have gone, but they left behind more than 

just divots. They left a restaurant-clubhouse renovated with money defrauded from Cicero, Illinois 

taxpayers and added a new chapter to the rakish history of a backwoods retreat that has been a 
popular destination for the wealthy since the days of Al Capone. The club was seized as part of a 

Federal racketeering case and was auctioned October 23, 2002. The site of the club is about 80 miles 

north of Green Bay. 

A group including Cicero officials siphoned more than $10 million from an employee insurance 

program to buy the club and other properties. The Cicero group put more than $4 million into 

renovating the Four Seasons in 1994 and 1995 and had hoped to turn it into a gambling casino. A 

man waiting to play in a club event reported that the now-notorious owners had done little things that 

were out of the ordinary for “up here in mosquitoland.” When they put water on the course for 

golfers, there would be lemons in the jugs, for example. He said there was the usual small town talk 

about the people who were running the Four Seasons. 

They drove big black cars, not in keeping with the local style, and... 

The Four Seasons paid cash for most purchases.... 

There apparently was not huge shock among the locals 

When the Federal government said 

“ahem” 

and put its official kibosh on the operation... 

 

The property is entirely on Miscauno Island in the middle of the Menominee River separating 

Wisconsin and upper Michigan. The par 34 golf course is on 69 acres, with another 127 acres 

available for development. The 27,000-square foot facility has two dining rooms, three bars, a pro 

ship and locker rooms. The auction notice didn’t mention one other nice touch, the signs posted 

along each fairway offering bits of literary massage for golfers, mostly quotes about nature from 

Henry David Thoreau, Robert Frost and others, including one from Robert E. Lee: 

“You may take with you the satisfaction that proceeds 

the consciousness of duty faithfully performed....” 

The golf course was designed by W.D. Mann in 1905; an old, narrow railroad trestle still serves as 

the road connection to the island. The Four Seasons was popular in the Roaring 20’s when the 

railroad brought people from Chicago, Minneapolis and Milwaukee. The Four Seasons sent people 

in Model A Fords to bring them to the clubhouse. The place was known during Prohibition as a 

gambling hall and speakeasy. An old roulette wheel was found in the clubhouse attic. 

Ghostly Presence? 

What’s more, the clubhouse may even come with its own ghost. Or at least ghost stories. “It’s 

supposed to be haunted,” says a former waitress who bused tables there in high school nearly 20 

years ago. She said she once found her cart moved into a position blocking a doorway when a human 

was nowhere near. Guests once complained of unexplained noises coming from the attic. “There are 

stories the place is haunted by a bride who was stood up at the altar,” said the long-ago waitress. 

The property was auctioned by the government on October 23, 2002 for $1.6 million--ghost and all. 

Robert R. Hibbs and George Kline

During March and April 2002, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Minneapolis Field Office forfeited 

assets totaling over $7 million. These forfeitures were pursuant to an investigation of Robert R. 
Hibbs and George Kline, key figures in an extensive insider trading and securities fraud conspiracy. 

This investigation resulted in a 58-count indictment that charged Messrs. Hibbs and Kline of 

conspiring to make stock trades based on non-public information that they obtained as board 

members of several local companies, tax evasion and money laundering. 

In 1990, Mr. Hibbs joined Hidden Creek Industries, Minneapolis, a private industrial management 

company. In his career at Hidden Creek, he became an officer or director of Dura Automotive 

Systems, Inc. (Dura) and Tower Automotive, Inc. (Tower). As an officer and director of those 

companies, Mr. Hibbs had access to material, non-public information about those companies. Mr. 

Hibbs admitted that from 1997 through1999 he unlawfully traded in the stocks of Dura and Tower, 

and also in the stocks of companies acquired by Dura and Tower. Mr. Hibbs admitted that he traded 

in the stock of these companies in is own accounts, his parents' accounts, and his in-laws' accounts. 

Mr. Hibbs admitted that he knowingly and willfully conspired with Messrs. George Kline and Erich 

Kline to commit securities and mail fraud through the exchange of inside information. Mr. Hibbs 

admitted that on multiple occasions during that time period, he provided Mr. George Kline with 

material, non-public information obtained by him from Tower and Dura, in knowing breach of both 

securities laws and his fiduciary duties to the companies. In particular, Mr. Hibbs admitted that he 

provided Mr. George Kline with inside information prior to Dura's April 1998 acquisition of Trident, 

Tower's September 1998 pre-announcement of favorable earnings, and Dura's January 1999 

acquisition of Excel. Mr. Hibbs admitted that on numerous occasions during the same time period, 

Mr. Erich Kline provided him with material non-public information regarding CyberOptics 

Corporation that Mr. Hibbs then used to purchase and sell CyberOptics to obtain illegal stock profits. 

Mr. Hibbs admitted that he believed Mr. George Kline to be the source of the information provided 

through Mr. Erich Kline. 

Pursuant to a plea agreement, Mr. Hibbs pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud, four 

counts of insider trading and three counts of evading taxes by intentionally misreporting profits from 

stock sales. The plea also called for a $250,000 fine and required Mr. Hibbs to forfeit $1.2 million in 

cash proceeds from the sale of his personal residence to the United States as well as a total of 

139,600 shares of Rimage Corporation stock. For his role in these crimes, Mr. Hibbs was sentenced 

to four years in prison and two years of supervised release for tax evasion, conspiracy to commit 

securities and mail fraud, and insider trading. 

Mr. George Kline admitted that he was the central figure in a six-year conspiracy that ran from 

October 1995 through 2001. As a board member of many Minnesota-based publicly traded 

companies, Mr. George Kline had access to material non-public information regarding these 

companies. He admitted that, at various times, he used nominee entities to trade in the securities of 

companies in order to avoid SEC reporting requirements, and in knowing violation of securities laws 

and in breach of his fiduciary duties to the companies. Mr. George Kline also admitted that he 

regularly passed this material non-public information to, among others, his two sons, Erich and 

Christian, and Mr. Robert Hibbs, the former Hidden Creek Industries partner, knowing that they 

would trade based on the inside information. Mr. George Kline admitted that he also received 

material, non-public information from Mr. Hibbs regarding companies that he knew Mr. Hibbs was 

involved with either as an officer or director. Mr. George Kline traded in the stocks of those 

companies, reaping substantial profits. He additionally passed on these tips to his son, Erich. 

Mr. George Kline pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities and mail fraud, two 

counts of securities fraud, two counts of mail fraud, one count of engaging in prohibited short sales of 

securities, and one count of money laundering. 
Mr. Erich Kline, age 33, from Dayton, Minnesota, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, three years 

supervised release, 100 hours of community service, and was fined $250,000. 

Mr. Christian Kline, age 39, from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, was sentenced to four years probation, 

100 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay a $50,000 fine. 

In addition to the terms of imprisonment and fines imposed, under terms of their Plea Agreements, 

Messrs. George Kline, Erich Kline, and Christian Kline also forfeited a total of $625,000 in cash; 

411,827 shares of Rimage Corporation common stock; and two condominiums. Mr. George Kline 

also consented to entry of a $425,000 personal money judgment. Based on the current market value 

of the Rimage stock, the financial sanctions impact on the three Kline defendants exceeds $5.75 

million. All three defendants pled guilty in July 2001. 

The case is the result of a joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal 

Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. 

Darin D. Asay and Wendy Almanza

In May 1993, Mr. Darin D. Asay and Ms. Wendy Almanza created a pharmaceutical wholesale 

distribution company called Intermountain Distributors, Incorporated (IMD). Mr. Asay and Ms. 

Almanza recruited people to open "closed door" pharmacies, which provide prescription drugs solely 

to patients in institutional settings such as nursing homes. It is common for "closed door" pharmacies 

to join "buying groups" in order to obtain prescription drugs at discounted prices. In order to obtain 

the discounted prices, pharmacies have to agree that the product that they purchase will only be used 

for their institutional customers and not be resold in the open market. 

At the direction of defendant Asay, the owners/operators of these pharmacies falsely represented that 

they provided prescriptions to nursing homes. Mr. Asay instructed the pharmacies as to what drugs to 

order and provided the funds for their purchase. The drugs were purchased at the discounted contract 

prices, and then resold to other wholesalers at market value. In all, the defendants operated 10 sham 

pharmacies in five states, including Colorado. 

Mr. Asay was indicted by a Federal grand jury on February 12, 1998, along with codefendants Ms. 

Wendy Almanza, Mr. Nigel Jones, and Ms. Renee Wier Jones. Mr. Nigel Jones was sentenced to 3 

years probation and 100 hours of community service for illegally importing drugs; Ms. Renee Wier 

Jones to 5 years probation and ordered to pay $434,693.42 restitution for wire fraud; and Ms. Wendy 

Almanza to thirty-seven months imprisonment. Lastly, Mr. Darin D. Asay, of Evergreen, Colorado 

was sentenced to 78 months in Federal prison and ordered to pay restitution in excess of $4 million 

for using the U.S. Mail to fraudulently sell pharmaceuticals. The sentence in this matter includes one 

of the largest restitution orders ever in Colorado. 

 

Commenting on the case, United States Attorney Thomas Strickland said, “This case shut down a 

major national pharmaceutical diversion scheme. We have and will continue to prosecute diverters, 

not only because of the fraud they perpetrate on the pharmaceutical industry, but also because 

diversion threatens the integrity of the nation's prescription drugs." 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal 

Investigation; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of 

Investigation. 

Robert J. Ball
From 1994 through April 2000, Mr. Robert J. Ball operated a Ponzi Scheme through RJB Sales, Inc., 

his Hoboken, New Jersey-based corporation. Mr. Ball admitted telling potential investors that RJB 

bought and sold merchandise that had been ordered and rejected by the J.C. Penny & Co. department 

store chain. Mr. Ball represented that J.C. Penny would tell him to buy the rejected merchandise and 

that J.C. Penny would then buy the merchandise from RJB. Mr. Ball said he told potential investors 

he needed money from them to finance the purchases of rejected merchandise and that he would split 

the profits from the sales of the merchandise with them. Mr. Ball promised profits at an annualized 

rate of approximately 40 percent. 

Mr. Ball received approximately $224 million in the bogus investment scheme and returned 

approximately $201 million, with a resulting loss to investors of more than $23 million. Mr. Ball 

converted approximately $11.3 million of this money to his own use by buying, among other things, 

the 92-foot luxury sport boat, "One More Time." The vessel was rarely used by Mr. Ball, but instead 

used by friends, investors and chartered for fishing and cruising on the eastern seaboard and the 

Caribbean. 

On January 9, 2002, Mr. Ball pled guilty to one count each of wire fraud and tax evasion for the 1995 

tax year. Mr. Ball forfeited his entire interest in the residence and real property located in Brielle, 

New Jersey and in the luxury sport boat, "One More Time." 

U.S. Secret Service 

Cleveland Food Stamp Fraud

This investigation involved the trafficking of more that $15,000,000 in illegally-redeemed food stamp 

and Women and Infant Children (WIC) Program coupons through five grocery stores located on the 

east side of Cleveland. Between 1994 and 2001, the defendants, acting as proprietors of grocery 

stores, purchased the WIC and food stamp coupons from recipients at less than face value, then 

redeemed the coupons at full face value, realizing a significant profit. Also, the defendants allowed 

the WIC and food stamp coupon recipients to purchase ineligible items, such as alcohol and 

cigarettes, albeit at inflated prices. Five persons were indicted, although two are believed to have 

fled to the Middle East. 

The defendants deposited their illegal proceeds into numerous business and personal bank accounts 

and transferred the funds to other accounts in an attempt to conceal the true source of the funds. 

Some of the illegal proceeds were also used to facilitate the ongoing fraud at the grocery stores. The 

task force traced nearly $600,000 in wire transfers to accounts in the Middle East, but were unable to 

track the funds beyond that point. In addition to these foreign accounts, agents seized documents 

during a search of the defendants’ homes during 2001 that revealed the existence of additional bank 

accounts worth several million U.S. dollars located in Jordan in the name of one of the defendants. 

The three defendants subjected to prosecution accepted Plea Agreements. The defendants were 

originally charged with conspiracy to commit fraud against the food stamp and WIC programs, theft 

of government funds, mail and wire fraud, making materially false statements, as well as 19 counts of 

transactional money laundering. 

The terms of the Plea Agreements stipulated that two of the defendants be sentenced to a term of 

incarceration of 42 months. During March 2002, as part of their plea agreements, the two also 

forfeited to the government several bank accounts valued at just under $700,000, and cash valued at 

almost $500,000. The third defendant, the wife of one of the defendants sentenced to 42 months, 

pled guilty to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to probation. Two remaining defendants remain at 

large. 
Operation Ice Pick

In January 2002, the U.S. Secret Service Minneapolis Financial Crimes Task Force executed 14 

Federal search warrants, one local search warrant, and arrested ten federally indicted persons for 

violating Federal conspiracy, identity theft, access device fraud, and bank fraud statutes. This 

enforcement action, dubbed “Operation Ice Pick,” was an extensive long-term investigation into 

multiple bank fraud schemes that resulted in a loss of approximately $1.5 million over three years. 

The suspects utilized fictitious business documents, and false or counterfeit identification, securities 

and checks, to execute a variety of well-coordinated fraud schemes. For example, the suspects used 

counterfeit identification documents and checks to establish, fraudulently, various bank accounts, 

whereupon they would deposit counterfeit checks and make cash withdrawals, usually via ATM. 

In one instance, the perpetrators gained the confidence of a bank employee to obtain customer 

information for use in account takeovers, where the perpetrators transferred funds from the 

compromised victim account(s) to new fraudulently opened accounts, which were subsequently 

drained through ATM withdrawals. 

The fraudulent activities of the perpetrators included various credit card frauds such as the use of 

stolen identities to establish lines of credit. They also used credit card courtesy checks to inflate the 

credit limits of fraudulently established credit card accounts allowing for additional purchases and 

cash advances, and they were known to have filed false insurance claims. 

Approximately 100 Federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel and support staff participated 

in the arrests and in the execution of search warrants. Seizure warrants were executed on late model 

luxury sedans and nearly $50,000 in cash. 

Bank Fraud

The South Florida Organized Fraud Task Force (task force) was contacted by the Miami Dade Police 

Department on September 20, 2001, regarding the investigation of a possible fraud at a Bank of 

America branch in Miami. The task force is comprised of members of the U.S. Secret Service and 

Miami area local law enforcement agencies. Members of the task force responded to a Bank of 

America branch located in Miami and found a male subject in custody for possession of a counterfeit 

Florida driver’s license. The subject was using the alias “Trevor Porter,” and had attempted to 

negotiate a $9,600 check drawn on the account of the NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum 

Corporation) Petroleum Product Sales, Inc. Investigation disclosed that the NNPC Petroleum 

Product Sales, Inc. corporate account “Porter” had opened earlier at the Bank of America had 

received a wire transfer in the amount of $4,350,314.63 from the Isle of Man on the day before his 

“Porter’s” arrest. 

Investigative efforts by the task force at the scene revealed the true identity of “Porter,” and that he 

was employed by a Florida hotel. Discovered in his car, via consent search, were shipping papers 

related to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and evidence of wire transfers of $3.8 million 

and $7 million. Subsequent to investigators learning the true identity of “Porter,” he implicated his 

wife and a foreign national, and agreed to cooperate. 

Task force investigators determined that “Porter’s” wife was friendly with a Nigerian known to her as 

“Ben.” Ben, who was actually residing in Nigeria, provided advice and direction to the couple in 

order to lay the groundwork for the fraud. Several months earlier, Ben requested that they open the 

NNPC corporate account at the Bank of America. At the behest of Ben, a counterfeit Florida driver’s 
license and a counterfeit Social Security Card, both in the name of “Trevor Porter,” were obtained in 

Florida, subsequent to which NNPC was incorporated in the State of Florida, with a Federal Tax ID 

number. Ben provided the couple with backup documentation indicating that the $4,350,214.63 wire 

transfer was from the sale of crude oil. Ben also advised that he was expecting two additional wire 

transfers, into the Bank of America NNPC corporate account, of $3.8 and $7 million. 

In an effort to cooperate, both defendants, the husband and wife, agreed to place telephone calls to 

Ben in Nigeria. Ben was advised that his presence was needed in Florida to facilitate withdrawals 

and wire transfers of the $4,350,214.63 located in the Bank of America NNPC corporate account. 

Ben agreed to travel to Florida, however, he requested $9,600 from the couple to pay for his travel. 

Funding was obtained from local police authorities and $9,600 was wired via Western Union to Ben 

in Nigeria. Ben was subject to surveillance upon his arrival in Florida and promptly arrested by the 

task force when he arrived at the Bank of America. 

A Federal seizure warrant was obtained and served on the Bank of America NNPC account and its 

contents, which amounted to $4,350,214.63. Task force investigators determined that the 

$4,350,214.63 were the proceeds of embezzlement from the NNPC by a collusive NNPC employee 

who remains an un-indicted co-conspirator. Prosecution of the offenders is ongoing, while efforts 

are continuing to identify and locate additional proceeds of this fraud. 

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 

Hezbollah Cigarette Smuggling Case 

On June 21, 2002, Mohamad Hammoud and his brother Chawki Hammoud, were found guilty of 

various charges in U.S. District Court, Western North Carolina, following a five week trial. They 

were convicted on cigarette smuggling, money laundering, RICO, immigration violations, conspiracy 

and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The convictions 

culminated a six-year investigation into a Lebanese cigarette smuggling operation, which smuggled 

over $7 million of cigarettes from North Carolina to Detroit, Michigan. 

The group used two tobacco shops as “fronts” to conduct their cigarette smuggling operation and sent 

a portion of the proceeds from their cigarette smuggling to Hezbollah. They also used the proceeds 

to purchase “dual use” equipment, which are items sold to civilians that have a military application, 

such as Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment, night vision goggles, computer hardware and 

software. The dual use equipment was sent to Lebanon through Vancouver, Canada. 

A total of 25 individuals were indicted during this investigation. Eighteen individuals have pled 

guilty, while five individuals are international fugitives. 

Assets currently seized and pending forfeiture or that have been forfeited include: over $200,000 in 

U.S. currency; bank accounts containing approximately $114,000; 4,500 cartons of cigarettes; 

$20,000 in telephone calling cards; a late model luxury sport utility vehicle; $98,000 in proceeds 

from the sale of a BP gas station; and one residence with an estimated value of over $100,000. 

Additional potential forfeitures are under review. 

Operation Stamp Out 

This investigation resulted in the largest seizure of counterfeit tax stamped cigarettes in U.S. history. 

ATF served a total of 30 Federal search warrants that recovered 1,217 cases (60,872 cartons) of 

contraband cigarettes with a retail value of over $2.1 million. The California State Board of 
Equalization estimates that a loss of over $3 million in state tax revenue from cigarettes purchased in 

Virginia can be attributed to this organization over a nine-month period. 

 

The above resulted from eleven months of investigation, with ATF as the lead agency, with the 

assistance of the Board of Equalization and the Internal Revenue Service. 

The agents utilized a variety of investigative techniques to include, over 45 undercover purchases of 

cigarettes with counterfeit tax stamps. The San Jose Field Office coordinated 168 law enforcement 

personnel to assist in the service of the 30 Federal search warrants. 

 

Two individuals pled guilty in U.S. District Court to trafficking in contraband cigarettes, income tax 

evasion, and making false statements. Assets currently seized and pending forfeiture or that have 

been forfeited include: 1,217 cases of contraband cigarettes, over $300,000 in currency, and 148,070 

counterfeit tax stamps. Upon forfeiture of the cigarettes, the sale revenue generated from the sale of 

the cigarettes was just under $800,000. Additional seizures are pending. 

Operation BearTrap/Dragonfire

As the result of a recent increase in the trafficking of contraband cigarettes, the ATF Roanoke Field 

Office created a joint Federal, state and local task force identifying criminal diversion trends that 

target the diversion of cigarettes from the State of Virginia to other states. As a result of this 

initiative, the task force has seized more than $1 million in U.S. currency, more than 500 cases of 

cigarettes with a retail street value of $1.2 million, a tractor-trailer truck and one automobile, more 

than 100,000 counterfeit tax stamps (which would have resulted in a tax loss of approximately 

$87,000), and a small quantity of counterfeit tobacco products. 

To date, the investigation has identified organized crime members directing some of the diversion 

schemes. The investigation is ongoing in attempts to identify further assets and individuals. 

Additionally, the task force has identified an additional $3 million in assets that may be subject to 

seizure in this case. 

Operation Lightning Strike

This is a joint ATF investigation with the Virginia ABC into the illegal manufacture of liquor of the 

Helms Farmer Exchange, which had been in business for approximately 20 years. This investigation 

involves a criminal organization of approximately 32 individuals. These individuals purchased the 

raw materials, such as sugar and plastic gallon jugs, for making illegal liquor in bulk. Additionally, 

with the proceeds of their illegal activity, the defendants purchased real estate and vehicles to 

facilitate their illegal activities and to conceal their illegal proceeds. As the result of this 

investigation, over $200,000 in U.S. currency, ten real properties valued at $1.2 million, and vehicles 

valued at over $200,000 have been seized and forfeited during this fiscal year. Also, as the result of 

violations of liquor manufacturing and other Federal charges, several defendants have received prison 

sentences ranging up to 78 months. This investigation resulted in the conviction of approximately 32 

persons for money laundering, non-tax-paid liquor, perjury and other offenses.
 

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. § 9703) 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, 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. 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 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. 

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 including Purchase of Evidence and Information, expenses 

associated with Joint Operations, Investigative Expenses Leading to Seizure, and 

Asset Identification and Removal Groups. 

Asset Identification and Removal Groups 

Asset Identification and Removal Groups (AIRGs) help ensure that seizure 

operations are conducted in the right way, with maximum precision and efficiency. 

In FY 2002, the Fund contributed $4.1 million in mandatory funding to the efforts of 

Customs AIRGs. The groups are comprised of special agents, auditors, accountants 

and contract data analysts who are specially trained to identify assets of criminal 
 

organizations. Today, there are 21 AIRGs located within Customs’ field offices 

throughout the United States. The personnel assigned to the groups receive special 

training at Treasury’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Center to prepare them in 

the areas of asset identification, removal and forfeiture. The AIRGs are particularly 

valuable in international investigations, where criminal proceeds can be moved 

rapidly around the world. Their expertise in identifying and tracking these assets is 

critical to an effective seizure and forfeiture program. These groups assist their 

agencies in meeting their mandates. The results that they attain can be used as a tool 

to assist managers in assessing the strength and depth of criminal organizations and 

gauge their success in disrupting crime. 

Treasury Computer Investigative Specialist Program

 

An increasing number of investigations conducted by the Treasury’s law 

enforcement bureaus are in an electronic environment or contain electronic evidence. 

A key component of the bureaus’ ability to perform their investigative mission in 

today’s high-tech and rapidly changing environment is the Treasury Computer 

Investigative Specialist (CIS) Program. This joint initiative began in 1997 as a means 

of coordinating Treasury resources and leveraging assets. Since that time, it has 

developed into one of the premier computer forensics programs in the world, with 

over 400 Treasury special agents deployed throughout the United States and abroad. 

Some of the primary features of the program are: 

• All computer forensic examiners are experienced criminal investigators (as 

opposed to other programs that have technicians conducting exams); 

• Uniform basic and advanced computer forensic training (planned and delivered 

jointly by the four bureaus) that allows the bureaus to share CISs and technical 

resources on large cases; 

• Each bureau’s CISs are provided the same state-of-the-art equipment; and 

• Continuous in-service training and equipment upgrades for CIS agents in the 

field maintains high skill-levels for all Treasury Department CISs. 

In FY 2002, EOAF provided just over $5.5 million to the CIS program. The majority 

of the funding went for basic and advanced training and specialized equipment. Two 

basic classes were held in which 48 Treasury agents were given instruction in 

computer forensics. In addition to the basic training, 72 Treasury agents were given 

advanced training in the area of computer networks and network intrusions. Other 

agents received specialized training in online investigations and other computer 

platforms (Macintosh, Linux, Unix, etc.). It should be noted that the majority of the 

FY 2002 training was conducted by senior CIS agents from the four Treasury 

bureaus. In addition to contributing to the criminal investigations conducted by all 

four Treasury bureaus, during FY 2002 CISs and the Electronic Crimes Programs of 
 

all four bureaus provided significant assistance to other law enforcement agencies 

and the intelligence community in terrorism investigations. CISs from all four 

bureaus worked together as part of the Treasury Department’s “Operation 

Greenquest” investigation into terrorist financing operations. 

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 Treasury law 

enforcement bureaus leading to Justice forfeitures. SEF revenue is available for 

Federal law enforcement purposes of any Treasury law enforcement organization. In 

FY 2002, the Fund allocated $1.606 (revised as needed) million in SEF spending to 

the law enforcement agencies. 

Super Surplus 

Super Surplus represents the remaining unobligated balance after an amount is 

reserved for Fund operations in the next fiscal year. Super Surplus can be used for 

any Federal law enforcement purpose. The Fund declared a Super Surplus for FY 

2002 in the amount of $35.198 million, the majority of which was spent on major 

case funding, database development, and computer forensic efforts 

Computer Forensics

A growing percentage of the investigations that our agencies handle now center on 

computer evidence. It is critical for the law enforcement bureaus to protect the 

integrity of original computer evidence and be able to authenticate any evidence 

originating from an electronic source. Each of the four law enforcement bureaus has 

a computer laboratory devoted to assessing the impact of technological change on 

methods for obtaining digital evidence, developing forensics procedures and 

standards, and providing technical assistance to the computer forensics examiners in 

the field. The funding provided for these initiatives has allowed the agencies to 

maintain or build laboratories and sustain their computer forensics programs. These 

forensic programs involve a significant amount of research and development that 

cannot be funded through the mandatory authority. In FY 2002, $3.25 million was 

provided to the bureaus to support computer forensic initiatives. 

In FY 2001, EOAF funded the purchase by the IRS Electronic Crimes Program of 

the rights to the “Ilook Examiner,” a set of advanced forensics utilities for examining 

data from seized computers. In the past year, “Ilook” has been adopted by most 

Federal law enforcement agencies and by many state and local police forces. A 

portion of the FY 2002 funding for computer forensics was devoted to the further 
 

development and maintenance of this important tool that has become so useful to law 

enforcement computer forensic examiners. 
 

Program Performance 

Strategic View 

Over the next several years, the Fund will continue to focus on strategic cases and 

investigations that result in high-impact forfeitures. We believe this approach will affect 

the greatest damage to criminal organizations while accomplishing the ultimate objective 

– to disrupt and dismantle criminal activity. 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 including Purchase of 

Evidence and Information, expenses associated with Joint Operations, Investigative 

Expenses Leading to Seizure, and Asset Identification and Removal teams. In addition, 

the Fund will support and carry out the goals of the National Money Laundering 

Strategy as well as the High Intensity Financial Crime Areas (HIFCAs); support 

Treasury’s efforts to attack terrorist financial infrastructures; and continue to improve 

our ability to measure, assess and adapt our performance. 

Strategic Mission and Goal 

The mission of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund is to affirmatively influence the 

consistent and strategic use of asset forfeiture by Treasury 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. 

Performance Measure 

In FY 2002, 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 highimpact cases (those with currency seizures in excess of $100,000). Focusing on 

strategic cases and investigations which result in high-impact seizures will effect the 

greatest damage to criminal organizations while accomplishing the ultimate objective 

– to disrupt and dismantle criminal activity. 
 

Results 

Fund performance measures and associated results for FY 2002 are as follows: 

A target of 75 percent high-impact cases was set for FY 2002. The final percentage 

for FY 2002 was 73 percent, two percentage points under the target. This 

achievement is excellent given the significant diversion of Treasury law enforcement 

personnel to other than routine law enforcement matters after the events of 

September 11, 2001. Despite the lowered forfeiture revenue in FY 2002, the bureaus 

continued to work major cases as evidenced by the performance percentage. This 

measure was not put into effect until FY 2001. 

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. 

Financial 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, 2002. 

These statements have been prepared to disclose the financial position, results of 

operations and changes in net position 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. Therefore, 

it should be noted that direct comparisons are not possible between figures found in 

this report and similar financial figures found in the FY 2002 and FY 2001 Appendix, 

Budget of the United States Government. Further, the notes to the financial 

Performance Measure 

FY 2001 

Actual 

FY 2002 

Target 

FY 2002 

Actual 

Percent of forfeited cash proceeds resulting from 

high-impact cases 

79% 75% 73% 
 

statements and the independent auditor’s opinion and report on internal controls are 

also integral components to understanding fully the financial highlights of Fund 

operations described in this chapter. 

Statement: Changes in Net Position

Follows are brief highlights from the Statement of Changes in Net Position for FY 

2002 and 2001. 

Cost of Operations. For FY 2002, the Cost of Operations totaled $116.4 million, up 

from 

$107.6 million in FY 2001. 

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

Treasury securities. During FY 2002, the Fund earned interest totaling $6.1 million, 

as compared to $15.5 million during FY 2001. The difference reflects the 

contraction in interest rates paid on government securities. 

Forfeitures and Shares from Participation with Other Federal Agencies. For FY 

2002, forfeiture revenue and shares from participating with other federal agencies 

totaled nearly $38 million, slightly above the FY 2001 level of $33.8 million. 

Net Results of Operations. The Fund closed FY 2002 showing a negative Results 

of Operations of $64.3 million versus a positive figure of $7.5 million for FY 2001. 

This reflects the expensing of prior year obligations during FY 2002 which were paid 

from retained earnings. 

Net Position. The Fund closed FY 2002 with sufficient retained earnings to fully 

fund the annual carryforward to begin the next year’s business and to declare a Super 

Surplus of about $10 million which can be allocated to Federal law enforcement 

agencies for law enforcement purposes. 

FY 2002 represents another successful year in high-impact cash forfeiture cases, 

with 73 percent of all cash forfeitures stemming from cases with a value of $100,000 

or more. While the performance against this measure was short of the 75 percent 

target for FY 2002, it is still excellent given the demands placed on federal law 

enforcement in the aftermath of September 11. 

Statement: Net Cost

Costs of the Forfeiture Program – Intragovernmental. After revenue is applied 

toward policy mandates such as equitable sharing, shown in the Statement 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 Statement of Net Cost, the Net Cost of Operations increased to $116.4 

million in FY 2002, up from $107.6 million in FY 2001, largely attributable to 

additional spending from surplus authorities and the payment of equitable shares to 

participating local law enforcement agencies. 

Intra-governmental Costs. These represent the amounts incurred by participating 

bureaus in running their respective forfeiture programs. Intra-government costs for 

FY 2002 increased to $73.8 million, up from $66.9 million in FY 2001, largely 

attributable to Super Surplus allocations expensed during FY 2002. 

National Seized Property Contract. The largest single program cost of the Fund is 

the storage, maintenance and disposal of real and personal property. This function is 

performed by EG&G Dynatrend, a private firm under contract to the U.S. Customs 

Service. In FY 2002, EG&G expenses were approximately $33.3 million, up from a 

total of about $31.8 million in FY 2001. This increase likely reflects the increased 

stored property inventory during FY 2002, which increased from $27.1 million in 

forfeited property at the end of FY 2001 to $34.8 million at the end of FY 2002. 

Seized property also increased from $220.5 million at the end of FY 2001 to $237.9 

million at the end of FY 2002. 

Statement: Balance Sheet

Assets, Liabilities and Net Position

Total assets of the Fund increased in FY 2002 to $644 million, up from $597.6 

million in FY 2001, an increase in asset value of nearly 8 percent. At the same time, 

during FY 2002, total liabilities of the Fund increased to $471 million in FY 2002, 

up from $360.2 million in FY 2001, an increase of nearly 31 percent in overall 

liabilities pending at the end of the fiscal year. The increase in liabilities is largely 

attributable to the significant increase in seized currency on deposit at the end of FY 

2002, versus FY 2001, increasing from $278.9 million to $379 million, an increase 

of more than 35 percent. 

As the result of lowered revenue for FY 2002, the Cumulative Results of Operations, 

i.e., retained earnings, decreased at the end of FY 2002 to a total of $173 million, 

down $64.3 million from $237.3 million at the end of FY 2001. 
 

Summary of Financial Highlights 

Net Position. To summarize, Fund management concluded FY 2002 “in the black,” 

with the necessary resources to commence the business of the asset forfeiture 

program for FY 2003. Fund management declared a $10 million Super Surplus from 

FY 2002 operations which will be used for law enforcement needs of Department of 

Treasury bureaus. 

FY 2002 Audit. The Fund’s independent auditors have given the FY 2002 financial 

statements an unqualified opinion and again identified no material weaknesses in 

internal controls. The only reportable condition that remains is with regard to the 

recording of indirect overhead expenses of the national seized property contractor to 

the line item level. Progress is being made to allocate contract costs to specific 

assets and Management is confident that this issue can be resolved during FY 2003. 

Fund management is pleased to report this status. 
 

Program Performance 

Financial and Program Performance -What is needed and planned. OMB 

Bulletin No. 01-09, Form and Content of Agency Financial Statements, requires that 

agencies include an explanation of what needs to be done and what is planned to be 

done to improve financial or program performance. In that regard, Fund 

management provides the following information with regard to the remaining 

reportable condition identified by auditors during the FY 2002 financial statement 

audit. 

Reportable Condition: In fiscal year 2002, the auditors of the Fund’s financial 

statements reported one remaining reportable condition associated with the Fund’s 

internal controls: indirect overhead expenses of the national seized property 

contractor are not recorded and accounted for at the line item level. 

 

Asset Specific Expenses: Fund Management will continue to work toward the 

capture of indirect overhead expenses of the national seized property contractor. 

Although the accounting system of the Real Property Contractor is capable of 

capturing and reporting both direct and indirect costs, a methodology for determining 

and distributing the indirect costs at the asset level has not been developed. 

Management will ensure this is taken care of this year. 

The award of the new general property contract has been delayed. When it is 

awarded, the general property contract will require that the contractor is capable of 

capturing and reporting both direct and indirect costs to the line item level. 

Look Forward. Fund management is pleased with the resolution of nearly all 

findings associated with Fund operations as of FY 2002. Efforts will continue to 

ensure this progress is sustained. 

Limitations of the Financial Statements. As required by OMB Bulletin 01-09, 

Form and Content of Agency Financial Statements, 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 statement should be read with the realization that they are for a component 

of the U.S. government, a sovereign entity. One implication of this is that 

liabilities cannot be liquidated without legislation that provides resources to do 

so. 

Independent Auditor's Report on Financial Statements

Office of Inspector General 

United States Department of the Treasury 

Washington, D.C. 

We have audited the Principal Statements (balance sheets and the related statements 

of net cost, changes in net position, budgetary resources and financing, hereinafter 

referred to as “financial statements”) of the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture 

Fund (the Fund) as of and for the years ended September 30, 2002 and 2001. These 

financial statements are the responsibility of Fund Management. 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, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 01-02, Audit 

Requirements for Federal Financial Statements. Those standards require that we 

plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 

financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, 

on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial 

statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and 

significant estimates made by Fund Management, as well as evaluating the overall 

financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable 

basis for our opinion. 

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

material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of September 30, 2002 and 

2001, and its net costs, changes in net position, budgetary resources, and the 

reconciliation of net costs to budgetary obligations, for the years then ended, in 
 

conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of 

America. 

In accordance with Government Auditing Standards, we have also issued a report 

dated November 1, 2002, on our consideration of the Fund's internal control structure 

and a report dated November 1, 2002, on its compliance with laws and regulations. 
22 SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

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

statements referred to in the first paragraph of this report as a whole. The information 

presented in Fund Management's Overview of the Fund and Other Accompanying 

Information sections is not a required part of the financial statements but is supplementary 

information required by OMB Bulletin No. 01-09, Form and Content of Agency Financial 

Statements, or the Treasury Forfeiture Fund Act of 1992. Although we have read the 

information presented, such information has not been subjected to the auditing procedures 

applied in the audits of the financial statements and, accordingly, we express no opinion on 

it. 

This report is intended for the information and use of the Management of the Fund, the U.S. 

Department of the Treasury, OMB, the U.S. Congress and, the Office of Inspector General. 

However, this report is a matter of public record and its distribution is not limited. 

November 1, 2002 
SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 28

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 U.S.C. 9703. 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 are the U.S. 

Customs Service (Customs); the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); 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 and receive relatively few 

distributions from the Fund. The U.S. Coast Guard, part of the Department of Transportation, 

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

because the Coast Guard lacks seizure authority. 

Prior to the establishment of the Fund, ATF, IRS, and Secret Service participated in the 

Assets Forfeiture Fund of the Department of Justice. Customs had its own forfeiture fund 

into which deposits of all Customs and Coast Guard forfeitures were made. The Fund 

basically transformed the Customs Forfeiture Fund into a Departmental fund serving the 

needs of all Treasury law enforcement bureaus. FinCEN and FLETC did not previously 

participate in any forfeiture fund. Prior to Fiscal Year (FY) 1994, only Customs and Coast 

Guard participated in the Fund. 

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 U.S.C. 9703, 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 the Treasury's Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture (EOAF). 

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

strategic use of asset forfeiture by Treasury 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. 

Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Treasury, Customs acts as the executive 

agent for certain operations of the Fund. Pursuant to that executive agency role, the Customs 

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. 
29 SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Accounting

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

the Fund’s enabling legislation 31 U.S.C. 9703(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 annual reports and related footnotes for all activities and 

funds. 

The Fund’s financial statements are presented in accordance with OMB Bulletin 01-09, Form 

and Content of Agency Financial Statements.

The Fund’s financial statements with respect to the balance sheet, the statement of net cost, and 

the statement of changes in net position are reported using the accrual basis of accounting. 

Under the accrual method, revenues are recognized when earned and expenses are recognized 

when a liability is incurred without regard to receipt or payment of cash. The Fund’s statement 

of budgetary resources is reported using the budgetary basis of accounting. Budgetary 

accounting facilitates compliance with legal constraints and controls over the use of Federal 

funds. The Fund’s statement of financing is reported on both an accrual (authorization) and 

budgetary basis of accounting (obligations and unfilled customer orders) as a means to facilitate 

an understanding of the differences between these bases of accounting. 

Financial Statements Presented

These financial statements are provided to meet the requirements of the Chief Financial Officers 

Act of 1990, and the Government Management Reform Act of 1994. They consist of the balance 

sheet, the statement of net cost, the statement of changes in net position, the statement of 

budgetary resources, and the statement of financing, all of which are prescribed by OMB 

Bulletin 01-09. 

Comparative financial statements are presented in order to provide a better understanding of, and 

identifying trends in the financial position and results of operations of the Fund. 

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 regulations governing the operations and activities of the 

Fund. Under the TFF Act, the Fund is authorized to pay certain discretionary and nondiscretionary expenses. 

Discretionary expenses include purchases of evidence and information related to smuggling of 

controlled substances; purchases of equipment such as vessels, vehicles, or aircraft to assist in 
SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 30

law enforcement activities; reimbursement of private persons for expenses incurred while 

cooperating with a Treasury law enforcement organization in investigations; and publication of 

the availability of awards. Discretionary expenses are subject to an annual, definite 

Congressional appropriation from revenue in the Fund. 

Non-discretionary expenses include all proper expenses of the seizure (including 

investigative costs and purchases of evidence and information leading to seizure, holding 

cost, security costs, etc.), awards of compensation to informers, satisfaction of liens against 

the forfeited property, and claims of parties with interest in forfeited property. Expenses 

incurred by state and local law enforcement agencies in joint law enforcement operations 

with Treasury law enforcement agencies are also recognized as non-discretionary expenses. 

Under the Act, non-discretionary expenses are subject to a permanent indefinite 

Congressional appropriation, and financed through the revenue generated from forfeiture 

activities without congressional limitation. 

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 Online Payments and 

Collections (OPAC). 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 and as such, employees of the Treasury 

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. Beginning Fiscal Year 1999 certain probable equitable sharing liabilities 

existing at yearend 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 Public Debt 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. 

Equitable Sharing (Assets Distributed)
31 SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

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 new 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 – Intragovernmental receivables principally represent monies due from the law 

enforcement agencies participating in the Fund. 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. 

• 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 
SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 32

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 

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 8 and 9. 

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. Non-entity 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. OMB issued 

SFFAS No. 3 which 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, and (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 are disclosed in the footnotes in accordance with SFFAS No. 3. 

• Investments – 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 
33 SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

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

office locations. 

The following schedule presents the intragovernmental and other non-entity assets as of 

September 30, 2002 and 2001, respectively, (dollars in thousands): 

 2002 2001

Intragovernmental Assets: 

 Seized currency: 

 Investments (Note 3) $ 265,893 $ 213,181 

Seized currency: 

 Cash and other monetary assets 113,072 

65,745 

Proceeds from interlocutory sales 

 Total Non-Entity Assets 378,965 278,926 

 Total Entity Assets 265,028

 318,626

Total Assets $ 643,993 $ 597,552

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. 
SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 34

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 2003. 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. In Fiscal Year 1999, Fund management decided to 

recognize as liabilities, a portion of the equitable sharing requests that were in final stages of 

approval subsequent to year-end. Prior experience with the nature of this account indicated 

that a substantial portion of these requests were certain liabilities at year-end. Prior to Fiscal 

Year 1999, expenses and liabilities were recognized and the corresponding obligations 

reduced when final management approval for an equitable sharing request was given (See 

also Distributions Payable at Note 11). 

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

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

expenses and losses. 

Note 3: Investments and Related Interest

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 Public Debt. 

Investments are always purchased at a discount and are reported at acquisition cost (market 

value), 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 investment, net, represents the required market value. 

The following schedule presents the investments on hand as of September 30, 2002 and 2001, 

respectively (dollars in thousands): 
35 SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Entity Assets 

Description Cost

Unamortized 

Discount

Investment, 

Net

September 30, 2002:

Treasury Forfeiture Fund - 

28 days 1.605% U.S. 

Treasury Bills $131,964 $(165) $131,799

Interest Receivable – 

 On entity investments 

 On non-entity Investments 

65

 130

 Total Investment, Net, and 

 Interest Receivable $131,994

September 30, 2001:

Treasury Forfeiture Fund - 

10 days 1.970% U.S. 

Treasury Bills $175,326 $(269) $175,057

Interest Receivable – 

 On entity investments 

 On non-entity investments 

96

 117

 

 Total Investment, Net, and 

 Interest Receivable $175,270

Non-entity Assets 

Description Cost

Unamortized 

Discount

Investment, 

Net

 

September 30, 2002:

 

Treasury Forfeiture Fund – Seized Currency 

Suspense Account 

28 days 1.605% 

U.S. Treasury Bills $266,225 $(332) $265,893

September 30, 2001:

 

Treasury Forfeiture Fund – Seized Currency 

Suspense Account 
SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 36

10 days 1.970% 

U.S. Treasury Bills $213,508 $(327) $213,181

Note 4: Accounts Receivable

No allowance has been made for uncollectible amounts as the accounts recorded as a receivable 

at year end were considered to be fully collectible. 

Note 5: Advances

Advances amounted to $0.2 million and $0.1 million in fiscal year 2002 and 2001, 

respectively. 

Note 6: 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 $9.9 million and $9.1 million in fiscal 

year 2002 and 2001, 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, amounting to $113.1 million 

and $65.8 million in fiscal year 2002 and 2001, respectively. 

Note 7: Forfeited Property

The following summarizes the components of forfeited property (net), as of September 30, 2002 

and 2001, respectively, (dollars in thousands): 

2002 2001

Held for Sale $34,699 $27,128

 

To be shared with Federal, state or local, or foreign government 107 15

 

 Total forfeited property (Note 8) 34,806 27,143

Less: Allowance for mortgages and claims (1,712) (1,275)

Total forfeited property, net $33,094 $25,868

Forfeited property held for sale, net of allowance for mortgages and claims as of September 30, 

2002 and 2001 was $33.0 million and $25.9 million respectively, and is presented in the Balance 

Sheet. 
37 SECTION II - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

INSERT 

NOTES 8 

AND 9

Note 10: Capitalized software

Capitalized software amounted to $4.6 million and $2.4 million in fiscal year 2002 and 

2001, respectively. During fiscal year 2002, the Fund spent $2.2 million developing the 

FASTRAK seized property and forfeited asset system used to record seized and forfeited 

property relating to the Secret Service and Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Prior to fiscal 

year 2002 both bureaus used a Department of Justice record keeping system.

Note 11: Distributions Payable (state and local agencies and foreign governments)

Distributions Payable (state and local agencies and foreign governments) amounted to 28.6 

million and $22.4 million in fiscal year 2002 and 2001, respectively. Fund management 

recognizes as a liability a portion of the equitable sharing requests (based on the average of 

historical pay-out percentage), that were approved or in final stages of approval on September 

30, 2002 and 2001, 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 12: Net Position

Cumulative Results

The following summarizes components of cumulative results for the years ended 

September 30, 2002 and 2001, respectively, (dollars in thousands): 

2002 2001

Retained Capital $134,200 $19,072 

Unliquidated Obligations 103,140 210,670 
Results of Operations (64,311) 7,598

 $ 173,029 $237,340

Unliquidated Obligations 

The following summarizes the components of unliquidated obligations as of September 30, 2002 

and 2001, respectively, (dollars in thousands): 

2002 2001

Discretionary $ -- $ -- 

Equitable Sharing 17,176 61,618 

Non-discretionary 85,964 149,052

 $103,140 $210,670

Note 13: 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. 

Note 14: Super Surplus

31 U.S.C. 9703 (g)(4)(B) allows for the expenditure, without fiscal year limitation, after the 

reservation of amounts needed to continue operations of the Fund. This “Super Surplus” balance 

may be used for law enforcement activities of any Federal agency. 

Amounts distributed to other Federal agencies for law enforcement activities under “Super 

Surplus” requirements amounts to $54.0 million and $65.8 million in fiscal year 2002 and 2001, 

respectively. 

Note 15: Secretary’s Enforcement Fund

31 U.S.C. 9703 (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 9703(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 $15.4 million and $13.3 million in fiscal year 2002 and 2001, 

respectively. 

Note 16: Commitments and Contingencies
COMMITMENTS 

Beginning in fiscal year 1999, Fund management decided to recognize the liability for equitable 

sharing requests that were approved or in final stages of approval subsequent to September 30 

(See also Note 11, Distributions Payable). 

In addition to the amounts estimated above, there are additional amounts, which may ultimately 

be shared, which are not identified at this time. 

CONTINGENCIES 

Possible claims of potential significance include the following: 

1. In recent decisions, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that it 

is unconstitutional to forfeit currency based upon a violation of a Federal currency 

reporting statute. Accordingly, the court has ruled that in returning currency, the 

government must return the benefit that is received from holding the currency. 

The interest to be returned will be payable out of the income of the Fund, and, at present, 

represents a possible claim of potential significance. 

2. In a recent decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that the government must return 

forfeited currency in those cases of individuals convicted for currency reporting 

violations who have had currency forfeited due to the violation. The amount of the 

currency that might be refunded will be payable from the Fund, and, at present, 

represents a possible claim of potential significance. 

At present, it is not possible to determine the likelihood that the above claims will arise. 

Similarly, it is not possible to determine the value of such potential claims against the Fund. 

Judgements and settlements of $2,500 or greater, resulting from litigation and claims against the 

Fund are satisfied from various claims and judgement funds maintained by Treasury. 

Note 17: 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: 

2002 2001 

 

Gross Costs $116,

389

$107,

563 

Earned Revenues -- --
Net Costs $116,389 $107,563

The Fund falls under the Treasury’s budget functional classification related to Administration of 

Justice. 

Note 18: Disclosures Related to the Statements of Budgetary Resources

The Fund’s net amount of budgetary resources obligated for undelivered orders at the end of 

fiscal year 2002 and 2001 are $46.9 million and $210.7 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. No adjustments were required during the 

reporting period to budgetary resources available at the beginning of the year. 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 year 2002 and 2001 

consist of the following (in thousands): 

 2002 2001

Recoveries of Prior Year Obligations $19,749 $9,198 

Spending Authority from Offsetting Collections 282 124

Total $20,031 $9,322

Note 19: Dedicated Collections 

The Fund is classified as a special fund. All its activities are reported as dedicated collections 

held for later use. 
SECTION III 

OTHER REPORTS
Independent Auditor's Report on Internal Control

Office of Inspector General 

United States Department of the Treasury 

Washington, D.C. 

We have audited the Principal Statements (balance sheets and the related statements 

of net cost, changes in net position, budgetary resources and financing, hereinafter 

referred to as “financial statements”) of the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture 

Fund (the Fund) as of and for the years ended September 30, 2002 and 2001, and 

have issued our report thereon dated November 1, 2002. 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, 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 01-02, Audit Requirements 

for Federal Financial Statements.

In planning and performing our audits, we considered the Fund’s internal control 

over financial reporting by obtaining an understanding of the Fund’s internal control, 

determined whether these internal controls had been placed in operation, assessed 

control risk, and performed tests of controls in order to determine our auditing 

procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the financial statements. 

We limited our internal control testing to those controls necessary to achieve the 

objectives described in OMB Bulletin No. 01-02. We did not test all internal controls 

relevant to operating objectives as broadly defined by the Federal Managers’ 

Financial Integrity Act of 1982, such as those controls relevant to ensuring efficient 

operations. The objective of our audits was not to provide assurance on internal 

control. Consequently, we do not provide an opinion on internal control. 

Our consideration of the internal control over financial reporting would not 

necessarily disclose all matters in the internal control over financial reporting that 

might be reportable conditions. Under standards issued by the American Institute of 

Certified Public Accountants, reportable conditions are matters coming to our 

attention relating to significant deficiencies in the design or operation of the internal 

control that, in our judgment, could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to record, 

process, summarize, and report financial data consistent with the assertions by Fund 

Management in the financial statements. 
44 

Material weaknesses are reportable conditions in which the design or operation of one or more of 

the internal control components does not reduce to a relatively low level the risk that 

misstatements in amounts that would be material in relation to the financial statements being 

audited may occur and not be detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course 

of performing their assigned functions. Because of inherent limitations in internal controls, 

misstatements, losses, or noncompliance may nevertheless occur and not be detected. However, 

we noted certain matters discussed in the following paragraphs involving the internal control and 

its operation that we consider to be a reportable condition. However, this reportable condition is 

not believed to be a material weakness. 

The identified reportable condition, as defined above, is summarized below with further 

explanations and Fund Management’s responses in Exhibit I of this report. 

The reportable condition identified below was reported in prior years and is of continuing 

significance. 

 Indirect Overhead Expenses of the National Seized Property Contractor are not 

Recorded and Accounted for by the Fund to the Line Item Level.

Indirect overhead expenses of the national seized property contractor are not recorded and 

accounted for by the Fund to the line item level. The Fund’s Property Custodian incurs costs on 

behalf of the Fund from the time of seizure until the asset is ultimately disposed. Currently, only 

holding costs and direct selling costs related to real property and vehicles are captured in the 

Seized Assets and Case Tracking System (SEACATS) at the line item level. 

Because this condition can impact equitable sharing expenses of the Fund, this condition should 

be remedied. 

Finally, with respect to internal control related to performance measures reported in Section 1, 

“Program Performance and Financial Highlights,” we obtained an understanding of the design of 

significant internal controls relating to the existence and completeness assertions, as required by 

OMB Bulletin No. 01-02. Our procedures were not designed to provide assurance on internal 

control over reported performance measures, and, accordingly, we do not provide an opinion on 

such controls. 

This report is intended for the information and use of the Management of the Fund, the U.S. 

Department of the Treasury, OMB, the U.S. Congress and, the Office of Inspector General. 

However, this report is a matter of public record and its distribution is not limited. 

November 1, 2002 
Independent Auditor's Report on Compliance with Laws and Regulations

Office of Inspector General 

United States Department of the Treasury 

Washington, D.C. 

We have audited the Principal Statements (balance sheets and the related statements 

of net cost, changes in net position, budgetary resources and financing, hereinafter 

referred to as “financial statements”) of the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture 

Fund (the Fund) as of and for the years ended September 30, 2002 and 2001, and 

have issued our report thereon dated November 1, 2002. Our responsibility is to 

report on the Fund’s compliance with laws and regulations based on our audits. 

Under the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (FFMIA), we 

are required to report whether the Fund’s financial management systems 

substantially comply with the Federal financial management systems requirements, 

Federal accounting standards, and the United States Standard General Ledger at the 

transaction level. The U.S. Customs Service (Customs) provides cross servicing of 

the accounting for the Fund. We are not the auditors of Customs and, consequently, 

we did not perform tests of Customs’ compliance with Federal financial management 

systems requirements using the implementation guidance for FFMIA included in 

Appendix D of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 01-02, 

Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements. Those tests were performed 

by other auditors whose report has been furnished to us. Our report, insofar as it 

relates to compliance with Federal financial management systems requirements, is 

based solely on the report of the other auditors. 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, 

OMB Bulletin No. 01-02. 

The management of the Fund is responsible for complying with laws and regulations 

applicable to the Fund. As part of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether the 

Fund’s financial statements are free of material misstatement, we performed tests of 

its compliance with certain provisions of laws and regulations, noncompliance with 

which could have a direct and material effect on the determination of financial 

statement amounts, and certain other laws and regulations specified in OMB Bulletin 

No. 01-02, including the requirements referred to in FFMIA. We limited our tests of 

compliance to these provisions and we did not test compliance with all laws and 

regulations applicable to the Fund. 
The results of our tests of compliance disclosed no instances of noncompliance with laws and 

regulations discussed in the preceding paragraph exclusive of FFMIA, that are required to be 

reported under Government Auditing Standards or OMB Bulletin No. 01-02. 

The report of the other auditors on the substantial compliance of Customs, as it relates to the 

Fund, with the requirements of Federal Financial Management Systems Requirements (FFMSR) 

disclosed no instances where Customs’ financial management systems, as they relate to the 

Fund, did not substantially comply with FFMSR. Our audit tests disclosed no instances in which 

the Fund did not substantially comply with Federal accounting standards and the U.S. 

Government Standard General Ledger requirements. 

Providing an opinion on compliance with certain provisions of laws and regulations was not an 

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

This report is intended for the information and use of the Management of the Fund, the U.S. 

Department of the Treasury, OMB, the U.S. Congress and, the Office of Inspector General. 

However, this report is a matter of public record and its distribution is not limited. 

November 1, 2002 

SECTION IV 

REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 

REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 

63 

Intragovernmental Amounts – Assets (Dollars in thousands) 

 2002 2001

Fund 

Balance with 

Treasury

Accounts 

Receivable/

Advances

Investments

$10 

-- 

 -- $388,451

 $10 $388,451

Intragovernmental Amounts – Liabilities (Dollars in thousands) 

 2002 2001

Partner Agency

Accounts 

Payable

Accounts 

Payable

 

Department of Justice $-- $112 

Departmental Offices 78 1,240 

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center 41 186 

U.S. Customs Service 11,100 9,738 

Internal Revenue Service 6,033 9,641 

Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 8,445 1,359 

U.S. Secret Service 1,009 195 

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network -- --

Totals $26,706 $22,471

Intra-Governmental Amounts – Revenues and Costs (Dollars in thousands) 

 2002 2001 

Budget Functions

Cost to Generate 

Exchange 

Intragovernmental 

Revenue

Costs to Generate 

Non-Exchange 

Intragovernmenta

l Revenue

 Cost to Generate 

Exchange 

Intragovernmenta

l 

Revenue

Costs to Generate 

Non-Exchange 

Intragovernmental 

Revenue

 

Administration of 

Justice 

$ -- $ 73,840 $ -- $ 66,888

Intragovernmental Amounts – Non-exchange Revenue (Dollars in thousands) 

 

 2002 2001 

Partner Agency In Out In Out
REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 

64 

Department of Agriculture $ -- -- $ -- $ --

Department of Justice -- -- -- --

Department of Health and Human 

Services 

-- -- -- --

Department of Treasury -- -- -- --

Internal Revenue Service -- 11,248 -- 9,400

Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms -- 23,930 -- 1,856

U.S. Customs Service -- 10,434 -- 36,430

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network -- 1,115 -- 1,781

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center -- 180 -- 472

Secret Service -- 5,683 -- 28,020

Totals $ -- $52,590 $ -- $77,959

SECTION V 

OTHER ACCOMPANYING INFORMATION 

(Unaudited) 
TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND 

Equitable Sharing Summarized by State and U.S. Territories 

For the Year Ended September 30, 2002 

 (Dollars in Thousands) 

(Unaudited) 

State/U.S. 

Territories 

Currency Value Property Value

 

Alabama 84 185 

Alaska 3 - 

Arizona 4 55 

Arkansas 561 44 

California 4,056 517 

Colorado 46 2 

Connecticut 85 - 

D.C. Washington 68 2 

Delaware - - 

Florida 14,170 180 

Georgia 3,342 22 

Guam - - 

Hawaii 10 65 

Idaho 2 - 

Illinois 1,295 27 

Indiana 235 - 

Iowa 4 - 

Kansas 12 - 

Kentucky 348 7 

Louisiana 4,434 79 

Maryland - 8 

Massachusetts 234 - 

Michigan 1,032 28 

Minnesota - 2 

Mississippi 166 60 

Missouri 195 24 

Montana 18 9 

Nebraska - - 

Nevada 85 2 

New Jersey 172 - 

New Hampshire 854 - 

New Mexico 101 7 

New York 7,570 857 

North Carolina 1,389 243 

North Dakota - - 

Ohio 248 6 

Oklahoma 8 - 

Oregon 651 175 

Pennsylvania 483 104 

Puerto Rico 2,272 42 

Rhode Island 45 - 

South Carolina 179 - 

South Dakota - - 
Tennessee 1,185 124 

Texas 2,062 222 

Utah 38 - 

Vermont - -

Subtotal carried forward 47,746 3,098 

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND 

Equitable Sharing Summarized by State and U.S. Territories 

For the Year Ended September 30, 2002 

(Dollars in Thousands) 

(Unaudited) 

State/U.S. 

Territories

Currency Value Property Value

 

Subtotal brought forward 47,746 3,098 

Virgin Islands - - 

Virginia 450 73 

Washington 627 118 

West Virginia 7 - 

Wisconsin 821 - 

Wyoming 228 -

 

 Totals 49,879 3,289

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. 
TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND 

Uncontested Seizures of Currency and Monetary Instruments Valued Over 

$100,000, Taking More Than 120 Days from Seizure to Deposit in Fund 

For the Year Ended September 30, 2002 

(Dollars in Thousands) 

31 U.S.C. 9703(f)(2)(E) requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report annually to 

Congress uncontested seizures of currency or proceeds of monetary instruments over 

$100,000, which were not deposited in the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund 

within 120 days of the seizure date. There were no administrative seizures over $100,000 

over 120 days old for all bureaus in FY 2002. 
TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND 

Analysis of Revenue and Expenses and Distributions 

For the Year Ended September 30, 2002 

(Dollars in Thousands) 

Revenue, Expenses and Distributions by Asset Category: 

 

Revenue

Expenses and 

Distributions

Vehicles $10,365 $30,634

Vessels 2,879 39,032

Aircraft 2,879 12,574

General Property 9,213 123,888

Real Property 32,246 4,853

Currency and monetary instruments 148,535 59,447

 206,117 270,428

Less: 

 Mortgages and claims (5,761) (5,761)

 Refunds (3,669) (3,669)

Add: 

 Excess of net revenues and financing sources over total 

program expenses 

 -- (64,311)

Total $196,687 $196,687

Revenues, Transfers, Expenses and Distributions by Type of 

Disposition: 

Sales of property and forfeited currency and monetary 

instruments 

113,938 51,381

Reimbursed storage costs 160 27,043

Assets shared with state and local agencies 75,923 75,923

Assets shared with other federal agencies 11,399 11,399

Assets shared with foreign countries 2,124 2,124

Victim Restitution 2,573 2,573

Destructions -- 32,451

Pending disposition -- 67,534

 206,117 270,428

Less: 

 Mortgages and claims (5,761) (5,761)

 Refunds (3,669) (3,669)
Add: 

 Excess of net revenues and financing sources over total 

program expenses 

 (64,311)

Total $196,687 $196,687

The revenue amount of $196,687 is from the Statement of Net Position. This supplemental 

schedule “Analysis of Revenues, Expenses and Distributions” is required under the 

Treasury Forfeiture Fund Act of 1992. Because the Fund does not have a cost accounting 

system, the method used does not provide reliable information in the analysis of revenue 

and expenses and distributions by type of disposition. The information is presented to 

comply with the requirements of the Treasury Forfeiture fund Act of 1992. 

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND 

Information Required by 31 U.S.C. 9703(f) 

For the Year Ended September 30, 2002 

(Dollars in Thousands) 

The Treasury Forfeiture Fund Act of 1992, 31 U.S.C. 9703(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 of the United States Coast Guard, in the 

case of fiscal years beginning after 1993. 

As reported in the audited financial statements, at September 30, 2002, the 

Fund had forfeited property held for sale of $33,094. 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 U.S. Customs Service 

(Customs) suspense account. Upon forfeiture, it is transferred to the Treasury 

Forfeiture Fund. At September 30, 2002, there was $9,907 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 $50,168 and total property transferred was $3,289 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, 2001 

which became the beginning balance for the Fund on October 1, 2002, as 

reported in the audited financial statements is $237,340. 

(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 $5,761. The amount actually paid on a cash basis was not materially 

different. 

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND 

Information Required by 31 U.S.C. 9703(f) 

For the Year Ended September 30, 2002 

(Dollars in Thousands) 

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: 

State and local $75,923 

Foreign countries 

2,124 

Other federal agencies 

11,399 

Victim restitution 

2,573 

(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 $116,389 

The amount of seized currency not on deposit in the Fund’s suspense account at 

September 30, 2002, was $80,922. This amount includes some funds in the 
process of being deposited at yearend; cash seized in August or September 2002, 

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 $60,093 for Fiscal Year 2002. 

(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: 

U.S. Customs Service $194,937,914.67 45 seizures 

IRS 126,271,936.85 43 seizures 

U.S. Secret Service 1,000,000.00 1 seizure 

(E) The total dollar value of uncontested seizures of monetary instruments having a 

value of over $100,000 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 $0. This is also documented on page 

55. 

TREASURY FORFEITURE FUND 

Information Required by 31 U.S.C. 9703(f) 

For the Year Ended September 30, 2002 

(Dollars in Thousands) 

(F) The balance of the Fund at the end of the preceding fiscal year. 

The total net position of the Fund at September 30, 2002, as reported in the 

audited financial statements is $173,029. 

(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 2003 

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, 

is found in Section II. 

(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 56. 

 

EXHIBIT II 

 

STATUS OF PRIOR YEAR FINDINGS 

1. THE GENERAL LEDGER DOES NOT CAPTURE ALL BALANCES AND 

TRANSACTIONS THAT COMPRISE THE FUND DURING THE YEAR. 

(Repeat Condition) 

CONDITION 

The Asset Information Management System (AIMS) which is the general ledger 

system maintained by the U.S. Customs Service (Customs), processes, groups and 

summarizes transactions into account balances for the Fund. Currently, it is not 

interfaced with the seized property and forfeited assets tracking systems (asset 

tracking systems) used by the various law enforcement agencies participating in the 

Fund. As a result, accounts such as accounts receivable, liens and mortgages 

payable, forfeited property and deferred revenue, and seized currency and its 

offsetting liability are not recorded in the general ledger during the year. Instead, 

the Fund has implemented procedures to capture these balances only at year end. 

RECOMMENDATION 

We reaffirm our recommendations from previous financial statement audits, 

specifically: 

In the absence of an integrated system, manually record all accounts subject to 

accrual, such as seized currency and its offsetting liability, and forfeited property 

and the related revenue and any applicable liability, on a regular basis in the Fund’s 

general ledger. 

Expedite the implementation of the FGL system, an integrated financial system that 

is capable of capturing all transactions related to the Fund’s activities, in the general 

ledger. 

FY 2002 STATUS 

During FY 2002, the bureaus participating in the Fund were required to meet new 

reporting standards for monthly financial data. Although it is still necessary to manually 

adjust data reported by the Standard General Ledger for the non-integrated bureaus (IRS, 

Secret Service and ATF) in order to complete the Treasury Forfeiture Fund’s monthly 

and annual financial statements, the manual adjustments are supported by data provided 

by the inventory and/or accounting systems of the Fund’s participating bureaus. 

The “Revised Implementation Guidance for the Federal Financial Management 

Improvement Act” (the Guidance) issued January 4, 2001, states, “Ideally, financial 

management systems should provide complete reliable, timely and useful financial 

management information efficiently and automatically. However, FFMIA 

compliance itself neither requires nor results in ideal or state-of-the-art system 

performance or system efficiency; nor does it require that systems be entirely 

automated.” 
The Guidance further requires integrated financial management systems to provide 

interrelationships between the core financial system and feeder systems (whether 

automated or not). This is attainable through the existence of an audit trail from 

any summary data recorded in the core financial system to detailed source 

transactions maintained in feeder systems. 

Given the above, this reportable condition is no longer applicable. 

2. TOTAL ASSET SPECIFIC EXPENSES ARE NOT RECORDED AND 

ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE FUND (Repeat Condition)

CONDITION 

Total asset specific expenses resulting from asset disposition activities are not recorded 

and accounted for by the Fund in the various seized property and forfeited assets tracking 

systems. The Fund’s Property Custodian incurs costs on behalf of the Fund from the time 

of seizure until the asset is ultimately disposed. Currently, only holding costs and direct 

selling costs related to real property are captured in SEACATS at the line item level. 

RECOMMENDATION

In view of the Fund’s acknowledgement of this condition and SEACATS’ inability to 

capture the required information we make the following recommendations: 

a. For all direct costs and common support costs not directly traceable to individual 

seizures, an allocation process needs to be developed and implemented. Indirect 

costs will have to be applied to the individual seizures. Direct and indirect costs 

will have to be added together to provide total costs per seizure. 

b. EOAF should vigorously pursue the enhancement of SEACATS system 

capabilities to record and report expenses at the asset level. 

FY 2002 STATUS 

During FY 2001, Fund management awarded a contract to an independent public 

accounting firm (IPA) for the review of the Property Contractor’s accounting system and 

methodology for determining and distributing indirect costs at the asset level. This 

contract was for the review of costs associated with real property only. The IPA 

determined that the accounting system utilized by the Real Property Contractor is capable 

of capturing and reporting both direct and indirect costs, but a methodology for 

determining and distributing the indirect costs at the asset level had not been developed. 

In regard to the inventory systems maintained by the bureaus participating in the Fund, 

two of the three inventory tracking systems currently captures cost data for seized and 

forfeited property. While indirect costs are not being recorded in the two systems that do 

capture cost data, SEACATS and FASTRAK, direct costs, such as advertising and liens, 

are being captured.