DOJ Creates Trade-Fraud Section, but Speed and Collections Remain the Test

In July, DOJ and DHS reported more than $1 billion in recoveries, penalties, forfeitures and charged losses since establishing their Trade Fraud Task Force in August 2025. These measures are not interchangeable, and the combined figure does not mean $1 billion was collected.

DOJ also established a Global Trade & Commerce Enforcement Section, brought together 35 U.S. Attorneys' Offices and issued a joint enforcement guide. Dedicated expertise and national coordination deserve recognition. Closing older cases and recovering what is owed are necessary, but stopping current violations before they destroy legitimate businesses is even more important.

Our Case Tracker shows an average 8.3 years from first violation to resolution across 34 closed cases with available information. That is not a statistic about this DOJ announcement; it illustrates the larger cost of delay. Effective enforcement must be measured by how quickly misconduct stops, the sums actually recovered and the consequences imposed.