JM 9-118.300
As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, the Attorney General supervises and directs the administration and operation of all aspects of the Program including exercising and delegating statutory forfeiture authorities, establishing program goals and policies, and managing the Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF).
The Deputy Attorney General or his designee advises and assists the Attorney General in the formulation and implementation of program policies and provides supervision and direction to all Department organizational units that participate in the Program.
The USAOs and the Department’s litigating divisions are responsible for the prosecution of criminal and civil forfeitures sought by the federal government, the prosecution and defense of forfeiture-related litigation to which the United States is a party, and the collection of forfeiture-related debts owed to the United States. The USAOs also coordinate with the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) in the processing of certain equitable sharing requests, petitions for remission and mitigation, restoration requests, and the development and delivery of forfeiture-related training at all levels of government.
EOUSA is responsible for managing all forfeiture-related budget and contract personnel, and for conducting all CATS-related training and compliance activities for the USAOs. With assistance from MNF, EOUSA provides training to personnel throughout the Program. The Department’s Law Enforcement Coordinators (LECs) within USAOs promote and facilitate the Program with federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies through coordinated training with each USAO’s Asset Forfeiture Chief or Coordinator.
The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MNF), in the Criminal Division, is responsible for coordination, direction, and general oversight of the Program. MNF handles civil and criminal litigation, provides legal support to the USAOs and Department of Justice litigating divisions, establishes policies and procedures, coordinates multi-district asset seizures, administers equitable sharing of assets, acts on petitions for remission and mitigation and restoration requests, coordinates international forfeiture and sharing, and develops training for all levels of government. In coordination with other Program participants, MNF authors policies and procedures that provide additional guidance to address issues that arise under these Guidelines.
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) serves as the primary custodian of seized property for the Program. The USMS identifies and evaluates assets, and manages and disposes of the majority of the assets seized and forfeited through the Program. In coordination with USAOs and Department of Justice litigating divisions, the USMS manages the distribution of forfeited property and payments to victims of crime connected to those forfeited assets, and to tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that directly participate in the law enforcement effort leading to the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
F. Investigative Components
The Department of Justice’s investigative components—the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – investigate criminal violations and enforce federal laws and regulations, and seize and forfeit property as part of their law enforcement missions. They work directly and in cooperation with other federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to carry out Program goals. This may include adoption for federal forfeiture of assets seized lawfully by state and local law enforcement under their respective state laws, provided the conduct giving rise to the seizure violates federal law and the adoption comports with Department of Justice policy.
Investigative components that participate in the Program but are part of other federal agencies – including United States Postal Inspection Service; Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General; Department of State; Bureau of Diplomatic Security; and Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service – exercise their independent authority to investigate criminal violations and enforce federal laws and regulations. They work directly and in cooperation with other federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to achieve Program goals. In addition, the United States Postal Inspection Service exercises its independent authority to forfeit property.
G. The Asset Forfeiture Management Staff (AFMS)
AFMS, in the Justice Management Division, has responsibility for management of the AFF, the Consolidated Asset Tracking System (CATS), program-wide contracts, oversight of program internal controls and property management, and reports on the financial integrity of the Program. In coordination with MNF and other Program participants, AFMS develops budgets for the AFF. AFMS provides oversight and management controls to help ensure the consistency, transparency, and integrity of AFF resource allocations and expenditures across the entire Program.
[updated January 2026]