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S. 939 (115th): EL CHAPO Act

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The text of the bill below is as of Apr 25, 2017 (Introduced). The bill was not enacted into law.

Summary of this bill

What should be done with the $14 billion that drug lord “El Chapo” will have to forfeit if he’s convicted later this year?

Context

The notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman amassed a fortune of an estimated $14 billion between the 1980s and his 2014 arrest. In 2017, he was extradited to New York City to face 17 counts of criminal charges.

If he’s found guilty during his trial beginning in September — as legal experts essentially all agree that he will — what should be done with the money and assets he forfeits?

What the bill does

The EL CHAPO Act would put any amounts forfeited by …

II

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 939

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 25, 2017

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To reserve any amounts forfeited to the United States Government as a result of the criminal prosecution of Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera (commonly known as El Chapo), or of other felony convictions involving the transportation of controlled substances into the United States, for security measures along the Southern border, including the completion of a border wall.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order Act or the EL CHAPO Act.

2.

Use of certain forfeited criminal proceeds for border security measures

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any illegally obtained profits resulting from any criminal drug trafficking enterprise led by Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera (commonly known as El Chapo), which are criminally forfeited to the United States Government as a result of the conviction of Mr. Guzman Loera in Federal District court, shall be reserved for security measures along the border between the United States and Mexico, including the completion of a wall along such border, for the purpose of stemming the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States and furthering the Nation’s security.

3.

Use of forfeited criminal proceeds of other convicted cartel members

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any funds that are criminally forfeited to the United States Government as the result of a felony conviction in a Federal district court of a member of a drug cartel—an individual engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise involving knowingly and intentionally distributing a controlled substance, intending and knowing that such substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States from a place outside of the United States—shall be reserved for security measures along the border between the United States and Mexico, including the completion of a wall along such border, for the purpose of stemming the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States and furthering the Nation’s security.