In the fiscal year 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio reported collections amounting to $27,882,120.34 from civil and criminal actions. The office collected $12,537,202.34 in civil damages and penalties owed to the United States and $15,344,918 in criminal restitution for victims of federal crimes.
Additionally, the office forfeited $7,701,470 in assets linked to criminal activities during FY 2024. These assets are deposited into funds managed by the Department of Justice or Treasury and used to compensate crime victims and support law enforcement efforts. In total, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collected $35,583,590.34 during this period.
U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko highlighted the efforts of USAO employees in collecting debts related to false claims and other violations: “Every year, dedicated USAO employees work hard to collect debts owed to the government based on false claims, environmental damage, controlled-substance violations, and the like... The USAO’s FY 2024 collection efforts were tremendously successful.”
Significant collections from civil cases included a payment of $7.6 million by Cleveland Clinic Foundation to settle allegations under the False Claims Act concerning federal grant applications. Additionally, Ohio Refining Co., Chevron USA Inc., Energy Transfer (R&M) LLC, Pilkington North America Inc., and Chemtrade Logistics Inc. collectively paid over $7 million to settle pollution discharge allegations near Toledo.
In criminal cases, Aydin Kalantarov was ordered to pay nearly $7.8 million in restitution for wire fraud and identity theft charges. Matthew Maluchnik was sentenced for healthcare fraud with a restitution order exceeding $941 thousand. Christopher Hardin was required to pay over $671 thousand for mail fraud-related offenses.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide are tasked with enforcing civil and criminal debt collections owed to the United States and crime victims. Restitution payments go directly to victims who have suffered physical or financial harm due to federal crimes.