Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald on Oct. 8 released Directive 26-13 for the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, outlining what the department calls a comprehensive approach to fraud enforcement. The memo says prosecutors should investigate, disrupt and prosecute fraud using tax, securities fraud, consumer fraud and cybercrime authorities.
The directive also calls for early, pre-indictment asset seizures and digital-infrastructure takedowns to stop schemes and freeze assets in real time. It urges prosecutors to develop cooperators, pursue corporate bad actors, seek arrest and detention when appropriate, and deliver strong sentencing advocacy.
The Justice Department says the Fraud Division’s mission is to prosecute fraud regardless of size or complexity and to preempt, disrupt and dismantle fraudulent networks before they can inflict widespread harm.
