§3681 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

After a person is convicted of an offense under section 794 or a federal crime that caused physical harm, the U.S. attorney can ask the court at any time to take away money the person gets from any contract about the crime. After giving notice to anyone who has an interest, the court must order the defendant to forfeit some or all of those proceeds if the court finds it necessary for justice or restitution. This covers money from contracts for movies, books, news or magazine pieces, radio or TV, live shows, or any expression of the defendant’s thoughts about the crime. The order also requires the person who would pay the defendant to send the money to the Attorney General instead. Money paid to the Attorney General goes into an escrow account in the Crime Victims Fund for five years. During those five years the funds can be used to satisfy a U.S. district court money judgment for a victim or to pay a federal fine. If the court finds it fair, the funds can also pay other court judgments for victims or up to 20% can be used to help pay the defendant’s legal costs related to the offense. After five years the court decides how the remaining money is handled and may put it into the Crime Victims Fund. "Interested party" means the defendant, anyone who would receive the defendant’s proceeds, the person who contracted with the defendant, and anyone physically harmed by the offense.

Title 18, §3681

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Upon the motion of the United States attorney made at any time after conviction of a defendant for an offense under section 794 of this title or for an offense against the United States resulting in physical harm to an individual, and after notice to any interested party, the court shall, if the court determines that the interest of justice or an order of restitution under this title so requires, order such defendant to forfeit all or any part of proceeds received or to be received by that defendant, or a transferee of that defendant, from a contract relating to a depiction of such crime in a movie, book, newspaper, magazine, radio or television production, or live entertainment of any kind, or an expression of that defendant’s thoughts, opinions, or emotions regarding such crime.

(b)An order issued under subsection (a) of this section shall require that the person with whom the defendant contracts pay to the Attorney General any proceeds due the defendant under such contract.

(c)(1)Proceeds paid to the Attorney General under this section shall be retained in escrow in the Crime Victims Fund in the Treasury by the Attorney General for five years after the date of an order under this section, but during that five year period may—

(A)be levied upon to satisfy—

(i)a money judgment rendered by a United States district court in favor of a victim of an offense for which such defendant has been convicted, or a legal representative of such victim; and

(ii)a fine imposed by a court of the United States; and

(B)if ordered by the court in the interest of justice, be used to—

(i)satisfy a money judgment rendered in any court in favor of a victim of any offense for which such defendant has been convicted, or a legal representative of such victim; and

(ii)pay for legal representation of the defendant in matters arising from the offense for which such defendant has been convicted, but no more than 20 percent of the total proceeds may be so used.

(2)The court shall direct the disposition of all such proceeds in the possession of the Attorney General at the end of such five years and may require that all or any part of such proceeds be released from escrow and paid into the Crime Victims Fund in the Treasury.

(d)As used in this section, the term “interested party” includes the defendant and any transferee of proceeds due the defendant under the contract, the person with whom the defendant has contracted, and any person physically harmed as a result of the offense for which the defendant has been convicted.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–646, § 40, struck out “chapter 227 or 231 of” after “restitution under”. Pub. L. 99–399 inserted “an offense under section 794 of this title or for”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Chapter effective 30 days after Oct. 12, 1984, see section 1409(a) of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as a note under section 20101 of Title 34, Crime Control and Law

§3681 Order of Special Forfeiture