How Notices Are Published on Forfeiture.gov
To find public notices of federal forfeiture actions, visit forfeiture.gov, the official government website designated for publishing forfeiture notices. In the past, notices of forfeiture were published in local or national newspapers. Today, federal law allows those notices to be published online on an official government forfeiture website instead.
Online publication is authorized by:
- Rule 32.2(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure; and
- 28 C.F.R. § 8.9 and Rule G of the Supplemental Rules for Admiralty or Maritime Claims and Asset Forfeiture Actions.
The Asset Forfeiture Management Staff (AFMS), a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, manages forfeiture.gov and oversees the publication of pending forfeiture notices on behalf of federal seizing agencies.
The website also provides general information explaining how to file a claim to force immediate judicial action and seek the return of seized property as quickly as possible.
Federal forfeiture law requires the Government to provide notice to anyone who may have an interest in seized property. Publication on forfeiture.gov satisfies the Government’s obligation to provide public notice when personal notice cannot be completed or as a supplemental method of notice.
Publishing forfeiture notices online allows the Government to:
- Reach a broader audience;
- Centralize forfeiture information across agencies; and
- Satisfy statutory and constitutional notice requirements efficiently.
However, online publication does not replace the need for direct notice when the Government knows or reasonably should know the identity of a potential claimant.
Attorneys on Notice Requirements for Federal Forfeitures
If you received a Notice of Seizure in the mail, do not file a petition or claim without first speaking with an experienced forfeiture attorney.
At Sammis Law Firm, we generally recommend filing a claim for judicial action, rather than a petition for remission or mitigation, after carefully evaluating the facts of the case. Filing a claim forces the seizing agency to refer the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for court proceedings.
Once a claim is properly filed, the Government has 90 days to either:
- Return the property; or
- File a civil forfeiture complaint in federal court.
If the Government misses that deadline, your attorney may be able to file an action seeking the return of the property, along with interest, costs, and attorney’s fees.
Constitutional and Statutory Requirements for Notice
Due process requires that the Government provide “notice reasonably calculated, under all the circumstances, to apprise interested parties of the pendency of the action and afford them an opportunity to present their objections.” Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co., 339 U.S. 306, 314 (1950).
Supplemental Rule G expands on this requirement. The Government must send notice to: “any person who reasonably appears to be a potential claimant on the facts known to the Government” before the claim deadline expires. Supp. R. G(4)(b)(i).
Public notice is also required unless an exception applies and may be satisfied by: “posting a notice on an official internet government forfeiture site for at least 30 consecutive days.” Supp. R. G(4)(a)(iv)(C). The notice must be sent by means reasonably calculated to reach the potential claimant. Supp. R. G(4)(b)(iii)(A).
Posting a Notice on Forfeiture.gov
Public notice by publication requires posting the notice on forfeiture.gov for at least thirty consecutive days. The published notice must:
- Describe the property with reasonable particularity;
- State the deadline to file a verified claim and answer;
- Identify the Government attorney to be served.
In judicial forfeiture cases, the notice typically explains that a claimant has 60 days from the date of publication to file a verified claim and answer with the court and must serve those filings on a designated Assistant United States Attorney.
When these requirements are met, courts routinely find that the Government has satisfied its publication obligations.
Direct Service of Personal Notice
In addition to publication, the Government must send direct notice of the forfeiture action and a copy of the complaint to any known or reasonably identifiable potential claimant.
The rules require only that the Government attempt to provide actual notice—it does not have to prove that notice was successfully received.
See United States v. $1,071,251.44 of Funds Associated with Mingzheng Int’l Trading Ltd., 324 F. Supp. 3d 38, 47 (D.D.C. 2018).
Notice Issues in Cryptocurrency Forfeiture Cases
Notice rules are often applied more loosely in forfeiture cases involving cryptocurrency. Courts have approved service by email, particularly where claimants are:
- International;
- Anonymous or pseudonymous; or
- Difficult to locate physically.
See United States v. Twenty-Four Cryptocurrency Accounts, 473 F. Supp. 3d 1, 6 (D.D.C. 2020).
In many cryptocurrency forfeiture cases, the Government traces transactions, subpoenas exchanges, and obtains email addresses associated with accounts that handled the digital assets. Notices may be sent to those addresses even if the emails bounce back as undeliverable. The Government often argues that an attempt to provide notice is sufficient.
These practices raise unique due-process concerns that are frequently litigated.
Contact Sammis Law Firm
Call 813-250-0500 to learn more about federal forfeiture notices and how to challenge civil asset forfeiture successfully.
Additional Resources
Find a Notice of Seizure on the Forfeiture.gov Website – Visit the Forfeiture.gov website maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice. From the home page, you can find a list of notices published for each federal agency including FBI, DEA, CBA, and the United States Attorneys Office in each jurisdiction. You can also use the search feature to enter your search criteria. From the forfeiture.gov website, you can find the forms to file a petition for remission or mitigation, or to file a verified claim to begin court action in a judicial proceeding in the appropriate United States District Court. Find the FAQs for filing a claim online.
This article was last updated on Monday, December 29, 2025.
