Criminal Division | Criminal Division Criminal Division Press Release High-Ranking Member of Los Zetas Cartel Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Conspiracy April 22, 2026 Press Release Justice Department Announces New Funding Opportunity to Prosecute Fraud, Drug Trafficking, and Other Crimes April 22, 2026 Press Release Justice Department Seeks to Forfeit Beverly Hills Mansion Purchased with Proceeds of Scheme to Defraud U.S. Military… April 22, 2026 Press Release MS-13 Members Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Brutal Murders Committed at Direction of Gang Leaders in El Salvador April 21, 2026 fjl_4694.jpg Press Release Alleged Conspirators Arrested for Running St. Thomas Strip Club as Prostitution Ring and Harboring Illegal Aliens April 20, 2026 Press Release Florida Man Working as a Ransomware Negotiator Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Deploy Ransomware and Extort U.S. Victims April 20, 2026 Previous Pause Next About the Division For more than 100 years, the Criminal Division has developed, enforced, and supervised the application of federal criminal laws not specifically assigned to other components, often in partnership with the 93 U.S. Attorney’s Offices.  The Criminal Division  also oversees certain civil litigation. In addition to its direct litigation responsibilities, the Division formulates and implements criminal enforcement policy and provides advice and assistance on criminal matters to the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, federal prosecutors, law enforcement and investigative agencies, and other components of the federal government.  The Division also provides leadership and assistance to our federal, state, and local law enforcement counterparts as well as to our international partners. The Criminal Division is staffed by career prosecutors, attorneys, and staff, who serve as subject matter experts on their areas of law and criminal enforcement, prosecute criminal matters in federal court, and advance the Department’s priorities in their areas of expertise. The Division is comprised of 16 sections and offices, each of which is critically important to advancing the mission of the Division. The Appellate Section (APP) represents the interests of the Department in the U.S. Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal on matters related to criminal law and makes recommendations to the Solicitor General. The Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) leads the Department’s efforts to identify and prosecute child sexual predators, and prevent the victimization of children, by developing and implementing innovative enforcement strategies, identifying and addressing critical policy and legislative concerns, and improving the law enforcement response to these crimes through training and outreach. The Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) prevents, investigates, and prosecutes cyber and intellectual property crimes, including cryptocurrency-related crimes, ransomware actors, cyber-enabled fraud, and digital piracy of intellectual property. The Fraud Section (FRD) investigates and prosecutes complex cases involving white collar crime, including financial fraud, health care fraud, foreign corruption, and crimes that threaten public health and safety. The Section plays a critical role in the development of the Department’s corporate enforcement program. The Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) investigates and prosecutes cases involving human smuggling, human trafficking, forced labor, human rights violators, and certain international violent crimes occurring within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the United States. The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section's (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving financial facilitators and third party money launderers who conceal profits for cartels, drug traffickers, and other criminal organizations. The Public Integrity Section (PIN) oversees the federal effort to combat corruption through the investigation and prosecution of criminal schemes involving elected and appointed public officials at all levels of government.  PIN is also responsible for the investigation and prosecution of federal election and campaign finance crimes. The Tax Section’s (TAX) enforces the nation's tax laws fully, fairly, and consistently, through criminal litigation, in order to promote voluntary compliance with the tax laws, maintain public confidence in the integrity of the tax system, and promote the sound development of the law. The Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) develops and implements strategies to disrupt and dismantle the most significant regional, national, and international gangs and organized crime groups and to address significant violent crime. Several sections of the Criminal Division play key roles in promoting consistency in the application of certain federal statutes and investigative techniques by DOJ prosecutors across the country, as well as serving as experts in their area of law. The Capital Case Section (CCS) promotes consistency and fairness in the application of the death penalty throughout the United States. The Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO) provides investigative and prosecutorial support, legal advice, and statutorily required review in the use of sophisticated and sensitive investigative tools. The Office of Policy and Litigation (OPL) develops, reviews, and evaluates national crime, sentencing, and corrections policy and legislation. The Criminal Division also leads the Department’s outreach and coordination with our foreign law enforcement partners to disrupt criminal schemes and advance U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives. The Office of International Affairs (OIA) serves as the Central Authority for obtaining and sharing evidence with international partners around the world and provides advice and assistance on international criminal matters and coordinates the extradition or other legal rendition of international fugitives and all international evidence gathering for the Department as well as state and local prosecutors. The Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) seeks to enhance the capacity of foreign justice systems and their law enforcement partners so they can effectively partner with the Department of Justice in combating terrorism, trafficking in persons, organized crime, corruption, and financial crimes. The International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) works with foreign governments to develop professional and transparent law enforcement institutions that protect human rights, combat corruption, and reduce the threat of transnational crime and terrorism. Leadership A. Tysen Duva Assistant Attorney General Mac D. Heavener III Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kelly S. Milliron Acting Chief of Staff Keith D. Edelman Deputy Assistant Attorney General Josh Goldfoot Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jennifer A.H. Hodge Deputy Assistant Attorney General Hope Olds Deputy Assistant Attorney General Beware of Scammers Criminals are impersonating Criminal Division personnel to commit fraud. Don’t fall victim. Report A Crime Report Crimes Against Children Criminal Division Pilot Program on Voluntary Self-Disclosures for Individuals Report Election Threats Report Computer, Internet-related, Or Intellectual Property Crime Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program Criminal Division Sections & Offices Office of Administration Appellate Section Capital Case Section (CCS) Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) Fraud Section (FRD) Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO) Office of Policy and Legislation Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) Office of International Affairs (OIA) Public Integrity Section (PIN) Victim Notification Program Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) News Press Release High-Ranking Member of Los Zetas Cartel Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Conspiracy A Mexican national and high-ranking violent member of the Los Zetas cartel pleaded guilty today to federal narcotics charges. April 22, 2026 Press Release Justice Department Announces New Funding Opportunity to Prosecute Fraud, Drug Trafficking, and Other Crimes The Justice Department today announced the availability of $300 million in funding to prevent and prosecute fraud and other crimes nationwide. April 22, 2026 Press Release Justice Department Seeks to Forfeit Beverly Hills Mansion Purchased with Proceeds of Scheme to Defraud U.S. Military and Bribe an Iraqi Official The Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California seeking the forfeiture of a mansion located in... April 22, 2026 Press Release MS-13 Members Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Brutal Murders Committed at Direction of Gang Leaders in El Salvador Eight illegal aliens and members of the violent transnational criminal organization Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, have been sentenced for participating in a racketeering conspiracy that included... April 21, 2026 Press Release Owner of Construction Company Pleads Guilty to Obstructing IRS Efforts to Collect $1.4 Million in Unpaid Taxes David Stone, the owner of a Texas construction company, pleaded guilty in a federal court to obstructing the IRS’s efforts to collect unpaid employment taxes April 21, 2026 Press Release Alleged Conspirators Arrested for Running St. Thomas Strip Club as Prostitution Ring and Harboring Illegal Aliens U.S. law enforcement arrested three members of an alleged conspiracy running a prostitution ring and harboring illegal aliens in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. April 20, 2026 More News