Liberia’s Road to Asset Recovery: The U.S. Kleptocracy Asset Recover Rewards Program

The United States Congress established the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Rewards Program to further the U.S. government’s commitment to combating foreign government corruption and serve United States efforts to identify and recover stolen assets, forfeit proceeds of corruption, and, where appropriate and feasible, return those stolen assets or proceeds to the country harmed by the acts of corruption. The Program may pay rewards to qualified individuals who provide information leading to the restraint or seizure, forfeiture, or repatriation of “stolen assets,” as defined by the law, linked to foreign government corruption.

What are “stolen assets”?

By statute, the term “stolen assets” means financial assets within the jurisdiction of the United States constituting, derived from, or traceable to, any proceeds obtained directly or indirectly from foreign government corruption. The term “financial assets” means funds, investments, or ownership interests, that, after January 1, 2021, come within the United States or that come within the possession or control of any U.S. person.

Does the program require information be related to a specifically identified corruption case?

No.  Those with information regarding assets tied to foreign government corruption may submit it through the Contact Us options listed below, even if it is not linked to a specifically identified matter. 

What guarantees are there about the confidentiality of information provided? Of payments made?

Consistent with applicable law, the Department of the Treasury will keep the information received, as well as the identity of the person who supplied it and any monies paid out by this program, strictly confidential.  However, there may be circumstances under which some information relating to the source of the information may have to be disclosed or it may be possible to identify sources from the information provided.  U.S. law enforcement authorities will be in communication with you to discuss these matters further if the information you provide merits further investigation.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence manages the Program in close coordination with the Departments of Justice and State and U.S. federal law enforcement agencies.  The Program serves as a force multiplier for existing rewards programs targeted at a variety of illicit finance threats.

REWARDS TARGETS

The Secretary of the Treasury has statutory authority to offer rewards up to a maximum of $5,000,000 for information leading to the (1) the restraint or seizure (2) forfeiture or (3) repatriation of stolen assets in an account at a U.S. financial institution (including a U.S. branch of a foreign financial institution), that come within the United States, or that come within the possession or control of any U.S. person.  

In addition to accepting all relevant information, the Program will advertise instances in which law enforcement seeks information leading to the restraint, seizure, forfeiture, or repatriation of stolen assets linked to foreign government corruption:

1. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation seek information leading to the seizure, restraint, forfeiture, or repatriation of bribes or assets linked to bribes paid by Odebrecht S.A. and Braskem S.A. that are: (1) in an account at a U.S. financial institution, including a U.S. branch of a foreign financial institution; (2) that come within the United States; or (3) that come within the possession or control of any U.S. person.  Persons who provide such information may be eligible for a reward under this Program or others.  Odebrecht S.A., a global construction conglomerate based in Brazil, admitted in its guilty plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice that it paid $788 million in bribes to or for the benefit of government officials in 12 countries, including Angola, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Mozambique, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela between 2001 and 2016.  Braskem S.A., a Brazilian petrochemical company, also admitted to paying approximately $250 million to Odebrecht to use to pay bribes to politicians and political parties in Brazil as well as at least one official at Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. For additional information, see the Department of Justice’s press release describing the bribery schemes to which the companies pleaded guilty.

• The U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other U.S. law enforcement agencies seek information leading to the seizure, restraint, forfeiture, or repatriation of assets linked to corruption involving the government of the Russian Federation that are: (1) in an account at a U.S. financial institution, including a U.S. branch of a foreign financial institution; (2) that come within the United States; or (3) that come within the possession or control of any U.S. person.  Persons who provide such information may be eligible for a reward under this Program or others.

• The U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation seek information leading to the seizure, restraint, forfeiture, or repatriation of assets linked to corruption involving the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Malaysia, known as 1MDB, or related embezzlement that are: (1) in an account at a U.S. financial institution, including a U.S. branch of a foreign financial institution; (2) that come within the United States; or (3) that come within the possession or control of any U.S. person. Persons who provide such information may be eligible for a reward under this Program or others.