News Headlines

Virginia Criminals Pay $1 Billion in 2012 in Restitution

Posted: 6:12 PM Dec 7, 2012

December 7, 2012

United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy announced Friday that the Western District of Virginia collected $1.1 billion in 2012 related to criminal and civil actions.

"This unprecedented number demonstrates our ongoing commitment to recover money for victims and prevent wrongdoers from profiting from their unlawful activity," said Heaphy. "The priority we place on financial recovery reflects the Department of Justice's commitment to protecting the public and recovering funds for the federal treasury and for victims of federal crime."

On the local level, the Western District of Virginia recovered a $500 million dollar criminal fine, as well as a $560 million civil action in relation to the Abbot Labs prescription drug misbranding case. Abbott admitted that from 1998 through 2006, the company maintained a specialized sales force trained to market Depakote in nursing homes for the control of agitation and aggression in elderly dementia patients, despite the absence of credible scientific evidence that Depakote was safe and effective.

The U.S. Attorneys' Offices, along with the department's litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical or financial loss.