Legal Definitions - criminal forfeiture

Criminal forfeiture is a legal process where the government takes away property, assets, and money that a person obtained through criminal activity. This can only happen after the person has been convicted of a crime. The government must prove that the property, assets, or money are connected to the crime that the person was convicted of.

If a person is convicted of selling drugs, the government can take away the car they used to transport the drugs and any money they made from selling the drugs. This is because the car and money are connected to the crime of selling drugs. However, if the person is not convicted of selling drugs, the government cannot take away their car or money.

Another example is if a person is convicted of fraud, the government can take away any property or money they obtained through the fraud. This could include a house, car, or bank account.

These examples illustrate how criminal forfeiture works. The government can only take away property, assets, or money that are connected to the crime that the person was convicted of. This is different from civil forfeiture, which can happen even if the person is not convicted of a crime.