Michigan Couple Says Town Seized Their Building and Offered To Return It if They Bought Two Cars for Police
"Extortion, there's no other way to explain it," the couple's attorney says.
Civil Asset Forfeiture
IRS Stole Money and Hid the Details for Years
As law enforcement agencies patrol for profit, the secrecy surrounding cash seizures must stop.
Sheriff Agrees To Stop Stealing Cannabis Cash From Armored Cars, Saying His Deputies 'Are Not Highway Robbers'
The settlement came after the Justice Department agreed to return more than $1 million in proceeds from state-licensed marijuana businesses in California.
The Feds Will Return More Than $1 Million in Marijuana Money That California Cops Stole From Armored Cars
Empyreal Logistics agreed to drop its claims against the Justice Department, but it is still suing San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus.
Officials Seizing Russian Yachts Now May Steal Americans' Property in the Future
Going after oligarchs breathes new life into sketchy asset forfeiture powers.
Cops Seized $8,000 From Her and Never Charged Her With a Crime
After Rochester police took her cash, Cristal Starling found out just how hard it is to challenge civil asset forfeiture in court.
Police Seized Almost $10,000 From Him. A Court Ruled He Had No Right to an Attorney.
Terry Abbott couldn't afford representation, because the state took the cash he'd use to pay for it.
Snitches Get Riches From the FBI
Turning in your innocent friends and neighbors for having large amounts of cash is touted as a new source of income by the FBI.
A 93-Year-Old Woman Couldn't Pay Her $2,300 Tax Bill. The Government Sold Her Home and Kept the Money.
"This is very bad for property rights."
Man Receives 3 Years in Federal Prison for Using COVID Relief Funds on a Pokémon Card
The punishment is a bit rich considering the government's own mishandling of pandemic cash.
Prosecutor Extorts $300,000 Out of Alleged Drug Dealer by Threatening His Entire Family With Charges
Patrick Card's story is a case study in how the state uses civil forfeiture to try to coerce plea bargains.
Kansas House Considers Major Asset Forfeiture Reforms
A new bill in Kansas seeks to make it harder for cops to seize assets without a criminal conviction.
The FBI Seized Almost $1 Million From This Family—and Never Charged Them With a Crime
"It's completely changed my belief in fairness," says Amy Sterner Nelson.
Dallas Police Seized an Airline Passenger's Cash. New Information Only Makes Their Case Weaker.
Police seized more than $100,000 in cash from a 25-year-old Chicago woman for not correctly describing what her suitcase looked like.
How California Deputies Became Highway Robbers
San Bernardino County deputies stopped the same armored-car driver twice and took nearly $1.1 million in cash owned by legal marijuana dispensaries.
A California Sheriff Remains Free To Rob Armored Cars Carrying Money From State-Licensed Marijuana Businesses
A federal judge declined to issue a temporary restraining order, saying the evidence of legal violations is insufficient at this point.
Police Chief of Alabama Town That Was Getting Fat on Fines Steps Down Amid Bipartisan Outrage
Last week, Chief Mike Jones defended his campaign of fining everybody in sight. This week, he resigned.
A Tiny Alabama Town Is Growing Its Police Force by Fining Everybody in Sight
Brookside officers have been accused of fabricating violations and are being sued.
Kansas and California Cops Used Civil Forfeiture to Stage Armored Car Heists, Stealing Money Earned by Licensed Marijuana Businesses
The Institute for Justice argues that the seizures violated state law, federal law, and the U.S. Constitution.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Doubles Down on Calls for New Law to Seize Property From Suspected Gang Members
Civil liberties advocates say the law is just a reheated version of flawed state anti-gang law.
Police Oversight Board Demands Answers After Dallas Cops Seized Traveler's Cash
And some state politicians are talking about asset forfeiture reform.
Why Aren't Journalists Howling About the Assange Prosecution?
Plus two more topics to howl about...
Florida's Civil Asset Forfeiture Reforms Haven't Stopped the Shakedowns
Despite civil asset forfeiture reforms in Florida, police are still finding ways to take people's stuff.
Dallas Police Took $106,000 From a Traveler. They Haven't Explained Why.
A police dog's alert prompted the search, and the money was seized via civil asset forfeiture.
She Got Her Car Back 6 Years After Police Seized It
Malinda Harris’ ordeal shows how easily the government can take innocent people’s property under civil forfeiture laws.
Watch Nevada Highway Patrol Officers Seize a Veteran's Life Savings Through Asset Forfeiture
The officers admit there's nothing illegal about carrying large amounts of cash, then take almost $90,000 from him anyway.
After the DEA Stole $70,000 From This Filmmaker, He Got His Money Back, Plus a $15,000 Settlement
Keddins Etienne's experience shows that bullies who seize innocent people's property tend to back down when their victims put up a fight.
A New Orleans Grandfather Will Get His Life Savings Back After DEA Agents Seized It
Federal prosecutors agreed to drop a civil asset forfeiture case against Kermit Warren's $28,000 in cash, which he said he was trying to buy a tow truck with.
In a New Survey, Victims of Philadelphia's Forfeiture Racket Highlight the Hazards of Giving Cops a License To Steal
"What they're doing is like robbery," observed one property owner.
Although the State of Kansas Admits This Guy Is Innocent, It Still Wants To Destroy His 1959 Corvette
Richard Martinez lost his dream car because of VIN-plate issues prosecutors admit he was "not aware of."
Georgia Tax Crimes Unit Illegally Spent Asset Forfeiture Funds on Trinkets and Swag
A state watchdog concluded an office in the Georgia Department of Tax Revenue illegally kept $5 million in forfeiture funds and spent it partially on swag like sunglasses and engraved guns
Lawsuit Challenging Houston Asset Forfeiture Program Says Police Use Stock Language To Seize Cash Without Probable Cause
A couple claims the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Texas seized their life savings two years ago on suspicion of drug trafficking. A new lawsuit says they're not the only ones.
DEA Seizes Life Savings of New Orleans Grandfather Without Charging Him With a Crime
The case is the latest example of people who say their savings were seized in airports, despite it being perfectly legal to fly domestically with large amounts of cash.
A Massachusetts Commission Recommends Long-Overdue Reforms to the 'Worst Civil Forfeiture Laws in the Country'
The commission says the legislature should raise the standard of proof and remove the financial incentive that encourages cops and prosecutors to pursue profit instead of public safety.
Man Says Oklahoma Police Seized $140K From Him Without Cause
Canadian County Sheriff's deputies said Thai Nang's cash was drug money. He says he was buying land, and a local news outlet was easily able to find records backing his story up.
Maine Becomes 4th State To Repeal Civil Asset Forfeiture
A new law will require a criminal conviction before property can be seized.
Minnesota Poised to Pass Policing Bill That Would Restrict Asset Forfeiture and No-Knock Raids
The bill would limit petty seizures and require more reporting and oversight of no-knock raids.
The FBI Returned This Innocent Couple's Safe Deposit Box. It Refuses To Give Back Many Others—and Is Trying To Seize $85 Million in Cash.
"It makes me feel like the government is preying on the vulnerable and the weak to line their own pockets."
When Is a Civil Forfeiture Based on Drug Offenses Excessive? Always.
The question of proportionality assumes that punishment is appropriate for peaceful conduct that violates no one's rights.
Indiana Supreme Court Finally Puts an End to the Timbs Asset Forfeiture Case - "Reminiscent of Captain Ahab's Chase of the White Whale Moby Dick"
The case has generated three state supreme court decisions, plus a landmark ruling by the federal Supreme Court.
Indiana Said the Government Should Be Able To Take Everything You Own if You Commit a Drug Crime. The State Supreme Court Wasn't Having It.
After eight years, Tyson Timbs finally gets to keep his Land Rover—once and for all.
See the FBI Dig Through an Innocent Woman's Safe Deposit Box
In a lawsuit, attorneys for the box's owner allege that federal agents conducted an illegal search that may have resulted in the loss of some valuable gold coins.
Alabama Legislature Passes Modest Asset Forfeiture Reforms
A requirement that law enforcement obtain a conviction before it can forfeit property was stripped from the bill.
The Police Dog Who Cried Drugs at Every Traffic Stop
Cops laugh about “probable cause on four legs” but the damage to innocent lives is real.
Arizona's Newly Enacted Forfeiture Reforms Will Make It Harder for Cops To Steal Property
The new law requires a criminal conviction prior to civil forfeiture and beefs up due process protections for property owners.