DOJ’s Trade Fraud Task Force: $1 Billion In Combined Recoveries And Increased Investigations & Prosecutions

On July 14, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that the Trade Fraud Task Force (TFTF), launched in August 2025, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has already surpassed $1 billion in civil and criminal recoveries, penalties, forfeitures, and publicly charged losses in less than one year. The press release provides that “The TFTF was established to investigate and prosecute those who defraud the government through material misrepresentations to US Customs and Border Protection. . . Its mandate covers the entire supply chain, including importers, customs brokers, downstream distributors, industrial and commercial end-users, and other supply-chain actors who knowingly profit from merchandise imported in violation of the laws.” Importantly, the release describes how, “this milestone reflects a fundamental shift in the federal government’s approach to customs and trade enforcement, emphasizing rigorous criminal prosecution and civil enforcement under the False Claims Act (FCA).”

The DOJ also announced the creation of the Global Trade & Commerce Enforcement Section (GTCES) within the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The GTCES’s mission is to “investigate and prosecute criminal import, trade, and other fraud offenses that undermine American industries, evade external revenue collection, threaten consumers’ health and safety, finance foreign adversaries, promote forced labor through illegal trade practices, and violate United States laws and regulations governing domestic and foreign commerce.”

Based on these announcements it is very clear that the Government has been extremely diligent in investigating and enforcing customs and trade violations for the past year. The creation of the GTCES shows that the Government intends to increasingly investigate and prosecute criminal import, trade, and other fraud offenses. If you or your business are confronted with a Government investigation or subpoena relating to potential customs or trade violations, Butzel has an extensive White Collar Criminal Defense Practice Department that can assist you. Our experienced attorneys handle all stages of the investigation process, and work with prosecutors and law enforcement officials to secure the best possible outcome for our clients. 

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