Table of Contents

Criminal Forfeiture Procedure.........................................................................................................1

    I. Introduction    1

    II. Indictment    2

    A. Naming property in the forfeiture allegation    2

    B. Applying criminal forfeiture retroactively    3

    III. Restraining Orders    3

    A. Pretrial restraint of assets    3

    B. Restraining assets of third parties    4

    C. Pretrial restraint of substitute assets    4

    IV. Guilty Pleas    5

    V.  Trial Procedure    5

    A. Bifurcated proceeding    5

    B. Special verdict/right to a jury trial    5

    C. Burden of proof for criminal forfeiture    6

    D. Special verdict/ownership issue    7

    VI. ORDER OF FORFEITURE/SENTENCING    8

    A. In general    8

    B. Preliminary order of forfeiture--procedure    9

    C. Form of preliminary order    10

    D. Joint and several liability    10

    E. Substitute assets    10

    Procedure for obtaining substitute assets    11

    F. Property transferred to third parties    12

    G. Effect on sentencing    13

    VII. THIRD PARTIES    13

    A. Right of third party to object to the forfeiture    13

    B. Ancillary hearing-procedural issues    13

    Notice requirement under section 853(n)(1)    13

    Amendments to the preliminary order of forfeiture    14

    Motions to dismiss    14

    Discovery    14

    C. Choice of law    14

    D. Standing under sections 853(n)(2) and 1963(1)(2)    15

    E. Grounds for recovery in ancillary proceeding    15

    F. Superior legal interest under section 853(n)(6)(A)    16

    G. Bona fide purchasers under section 853(n)(6)(B)    16

    VIII. POST-TRIAL PROCEEDINGS    17

    A. Appeals    17

    B. Investigation to locate forfeited assets    17

    C. Parallel forfeitures    18

    D. Stay of sale or disposition of forfeited property    18

    E. Remission to victims    18

    Summary of Terms    19

    PROTECTIVE ORDERS    19

    SUMMARY OF LIS PENDENS    19

    GENERAL SUMMARY OF INDICTMENTS    19

    Form of Indictment    19

    Substitute Asset Issues    20

    Effective Dates    20

    Forfeiting Businesses    20

    Corporations    21

    JURY INSTRUCTIONS    21

Basic Criminal Forfeiture Checklist..............................................................................................22

Sample Pleadings...........................................................................................................................25

 [Editor's note:  The sample pleadings (below) are not included in the hypertext version, but are available in pdf format.]

Seizure

CRMI005 Application and Affidavit for Criminal Seizure Warrant for Personal Property,

            21 U.S.C. § 853(f) ... 25

CRM1006 Criminal Seizure Warrant for Personal Property, 21 U.S.C. § 853(f) ... 27

Protective/Restraining Orders

CRM1105 Ex Parte Post-indictment Application for Restraining Order, 21 U.S.C.

§ 853(e)(l)(A) ... 28

CRM1106 Ex Parte Post-indictment Restraining Order, 21 U.S.C. § 853(e)(I)(A) ... 33

Indictments/Information

CRM2002 Indictment/Information Forfeiture Allegations, Rule 32.2(a), 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(I),846, and 853, Drug Criminal Forfeiture ... 36

CRM2003 Indictment/Information Forfeiture Allegations, Rule 32.2(a) Money Laundering Criminal

Forfeiture, 18 U.S.C. § 982(a)(I), 1956 or 1957 ... 38

CRM2004 Forfeiture Allegations for Currency Reporting Offenses, 31 U.S.C. §§ 5317(c) and 5324(a) ... 40

CRM2005 Indictment/Information Forfeiture Allegations, Rule 32.2(a), 18 U.S.C. § 982 or 981(a)(I)( c) and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c), Proceeds of Specified Unlawful Activity (SUA), Criminal Forfeiture  ... 42

CRM2007 Indictment/Information Forfeiture Allegations, Rule 32.2(a), 18 U.S.C. § 982(a)(7),

Health Care Fraud, Criminal Forfeiture ... 44

CRM2009 Indictment/Information Forfeiture Allegations, Rule 32.2(a), 18 U.S.C. § 924(d), 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c), Firearms Criminal Forfeiture ... 46

CRM2013Indictment/Information Forfeiture Allegations, Rule 32.2(a), Terrorism Criminal Forfeiture, 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(G) ... 49

CRM2014 Forfeiture Allegations for Bulk Cash Smuggling, 31 U.S.C. § 5332 ... 52

CRM2015 Indictment/Information Forfeiture Allegations, 18 U.S.C. § 1960: Unlicensed Money

Transmitting Business ... 54

Verdict

CRM4001 Government's Memorandum Regarding Special Verdict Form ... 56

Preliminary Order

CRM5001 Motion for a Preliminary Order of Forfeiture ... 58

CRM5002 Preliminary Order of Forfeiture, 21 U,S,C, § 853(g)  ... 61

CRM5010 Forfeiture Sentencing Memorandum ... 66

Final Order

CRM7001 Motion for a Final Order of Forfeiture  ... 68

CRM7002 Final Order of Forfeiture Ancillary Hearing. ... 71

CRM7004 Final Order of Forfeiture Where No Third Party Petition Filed ... 73

Plea Agreements

CRM10001 Forfeiture Language for Criminal Plea Agreements ... 75