KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The U.S. Attorney's Office in Knoxville collected more than $7.4 million in criminal and civil actions last year, U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey announced on Thursday.
The collection effort includes a $3.6 million forfeiture from Sylvia Hofstetter, who was sentenced for her role in operating East Tennessee pill mills, according to a news release. Another $1.5 million came from a false claims act settlement with Retina Associates. A pain cream scheme brought in $550,000 in criminal restitution from five defendants who were convicted of defrauding private and government insurance programs.
Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to victims and for law enforcement purposes, according to the release. Nationwide, the U.S. Justice Department collected more than $15.9 billion in civil and criminal actions last fiscal year.