Overview

• Announced on August 29, the cross-agency unit brings together DOJ’s Civil and Criminal Divisions with Homeland Security to pursue trade and customs fraud.
• Enforcement will rely on the Tariff Act of 1930, the False Claims Act, and Title 18 fraud and conspiracy statutes, with seizures and prosecutions where warranted.
• Officials highlight data analytics to spot anomalies in import filings, aiming to speed investigations and widen the scope of cases.
• The DOJ is actively encouraging reports through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program and supporting FCA qui tam lawsuits by private relators.
• Recent FCA resolutions include $6.8 million on July 23 following a voluntary self-disclosure, $4.9 million on July 24 spurred by a former employee’s suit, and $12.4 million on August 19 involving alleged duty evasion.