The U.S. Justice Department said it is transferring approximately $29.7 million in forfeited proceeds to the government of Curaçao in three installments.
According to federal court records cited by the department, the money was connected to an eight-year fraud and money-laundering scheme involving an unlicensed lottery and unpaid taxes. U.S. authorities had enforced a restraining order at Curaçao's request.
International asset-return cases typically require coordination between courts and law-enforcement agencies in multiple jurisdictions. The transfer is intended to return recovered proceeds to the government prosecutors said was harmed by the scheme.