12 U.S.C. § 4205: Rights of declarants…

Summary

If you file a valid declaration under the earlier rules, you get certain rights. If the Attorney General sends your case to private lawyers, then after you talk with the Attorney General you can pick the lawyer who will handle the case, and you and that lawyer must follow the special rules for such referrals. If the United States wins a criminal conviction that relied on your declaration, the Attorney General may, at his choice, pay you a reward. The Attorney General may look at things like how serious the crime was, how much your information helped, how many suspects were caught, whether suspects were already under investigation, how much you cooperated, punishments in the case, whether others gave similar information, and any hardship or costs you had. If the government recovers money or assets because of your information, you have a right to a share: 20%–30% of the first $1,000,000, 10%–20% of the next $4,000,000, and 5%–10% of the next $5,000,000. Any criminal reward already paid may be subtracted. If more than one person provided useful information, the Attorney General will split the total award based on each person’s contribution and may consider similar factors. Federal banking agencies’ recoveries generally do not count, except civil money penalties they obtain by final judgment, order, or settlement.

Title 12, §4205

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(a)In general

A person who has filed a declaration that meets the requirements of sections 4201 through 4204 of this title shall have the rights stated in this section.

(b)Civil action

If the Attorney General determines that a cause of action referred to in section 4201 of this title based on the declaration should be referred to private counsel pursuant to subchapter III, the declarant, after consultation with the Attorney General, shall have the right to select counsel to prosecute the action, and the declarant and the declarant’s counsel shall act in accordance with subchapter III.

(c)Criminal conviction

(1)When the United States obtains a criminal conviction and the Attorney General determines that the conviction was based in whole or in part on the information contained in a valid declaration filed under section 4201 of this title the Attorney General may, in his discretion, pay a reward to the declarant

(2)In determining the size of any award under paragraph (1), the Attorney General may, in the Attorney General’s discretion, consider any appropriate factor, including—

(A)the seriousness of the offense for which the conviction was obtained;

(B)the extent to which the facts alleged in the declaration contributed to the conviction;

(C)the number of offenders apprehended pursuant to information provided by the declarant;

(D)whether or not the offender was previously under investigation by any law enforcement agency when the declaration was filed;

(E)the extent to which the declarant cooperated in the development of the Government’s case and its presentation at trial;

(F)the sentences and fines imposed on the offender and other offenders in related cases;

(G)the extent to which other sources of private information were relied upon; and

(H)the hardship to the declarant and any expenses the declarant incurred in preparing the declaration.

(d)Share of funds and assets

(1)When the United States acquires funds or assets pursuant to the execution of a judgment, order, or settlement and the Attorney General determines that the judgment, order, or settlement was based in whole or in part on the information contained in a valid declaration filed under section 4201 of this title, the declarant shall have the right to share in the recovery as follows:

(A)(i)The declarant shall be entitled to 20 percent to 30 percent of any recovery up to the first $1,000,000 recovered, 10 percent to 20 percent of the next $4,000,000 recovered, and 5 percent to 10 percent of the next $5,000,000 recovered.

(ii)In calculating an award under clause (i), the Attorney General may consider the size of the overall recovery and the usefulness of the information provided by the declarant.

(B)When a declarant has received an award under subsection (c), the Attorney General may subtract the amount of that reward from any recovery under this subsection.

(2)(A)When more than 1 declarant has provided information leading to a recovery under this subsection, the Attorney General shall first calculate the size of the total award under paragraph (1)(A) and then distribute that amount according to the contribution made by each declarant.

(B)In distributing any such award between 2 or more declarants, the Attorney General may, in the Attorney General’s discretion, consider any appropriate factor.

(e)Repealed. Pub. L. 107–273, div. A, title III, § 301(c)(3), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1781

(f)Appropriate Federal banking agency exception

For purposes of this section, funds or assets acquired by the United States shall not include any funds or assets acquired by any appropriate Federal banking agency acting in any capacity or the Resolution Trust Corporation acting in any capacity, except for any civil money penalties recovered by a Federal banking agency through a final judgment, order or settlement.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 107–273 substituted “the Attorney General may, in his discretion, pay a reward to the declarant” for “, the declarant shall have the right to receive not less than $5,000 and not more than $100,000, any such award to be paid from the Financial Institution Information Award Fund established under section 4209 of this title.” Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 107–273 struck out heading and text of subsec. (e). Text read as follows: “(1) No person shall receive both an award under this section and a reward under either section 1831k of this title or section 3509A of title 18 for providing the same or substantially similar information. “(2) When a person qualifies for both an award under this section and a reward under either section 1831k of this title or section 3509A of title 18 for providing the same or substantially similar information, the person may notify the Attorney General in writing of the person’s election to seek an award under this section or a reward under such other section.”

§4205 Rights of Declarants; Participation in Actions, Awards

Summary

Title 12, §4205

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata