Criminal Division CRM

Most federal criminal cases are brought by the ninety-three U.S. Attorneys' offices around the country. The Criminal Division, created in 1919 and led by an Assistant Attorney General confirmed by the Senate, serves as the department's headquarters for criminal law. It sets policy, supervises sensitive prosecutions, approves the use of certain investigative tools such as wiretaps, and brings its own cases when they are complex, national, or international in scope.

Its specialized sections include the Fraud Section, which handles health care fraud, securities fraud, and foreign bribery under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, which prosecutes hacking and cybercrime, and sections on organized crime, narcotics, child exploitation, and human rights violations. Its Office of International Affairs handles extradition requests and evidence sharing with foreign governments.

The division's priorities shift with each administration's enforcement choices. In 2025 the President ordered a pause and review of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement, after which the department issued narrower guidelines focused on cases tied to cartels and harm to American companies. Supporters said the change ended a burden on U.S. businesses competing abroad, while critics argued it weakened the fight against global corruption.