12 USC 4205 – Rights of declarants; participation in actions, awards
(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
Terms Used In 12 USC 4205
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
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 1
(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.