Review of SADF Disbursements

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed disbursements from the U.S. Marshals Service's seized asset deposit fund (SADF) for the Central District of California between 1993 and 1995. GAO noted that: (1) as of December 1995, the fund's balance was $59.1 million; (2) proper disbursements from the fund included remittances to property owners, payments to innocent third parties, and mortgage payments on seized property using rental income; (3) there were disbursements and transfers that were not properly authorized, or were authorized after the transaction had occurred, and there was one disbursement that was not paid consistent with a related court order; (4) it was not able to determine the appropriateness of three disbursements because supporting documentation was inadequate; (5) other internal control weaknesses included the lack of adherence to written policies and procedures, and inadequate segregation of duties over the disbursement process; (6) there were instances where inadequate management of seized real property caused property to deteriorate and mortgages to be paid late; and (7) the federal government has incurred unnecessary losses because of these property management problems.