Preventing Fugitive Fraudsters Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4891
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T04:53:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation aims to deter flight by individuals indicted for specific fraud-related offenses by mandating the surrender of passports and restrictions on international travel as a condition of pretrial release.
Key Provisions
- The bill amends section 3142(c)(1)(B) of title 18, United States Code, which governs conditions of pretrial release.
- It adds a new requirement (clause xiv) that applies to indictments under sections 666, 1343, 1956, or 1957 of title 18.
- Defendants must surrender any passport or passport card and refrain from international travel.
- A judicial officer may waive this requirement only upon issuing specific written findings that it is unnecessary to ensure the defendant's court appearance.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Prior law allowed judicial officers broad discretion in setting release conditions without this specific passport requirement for the listed offenses.
- The amendment inserts this mandatory condition into the list of standard pretrial conditions, shifting from optional to required unless explicitly overridden by the court.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: May increase administrative workload for courts and law enforcement in processing passport surrenders and monitoring compliance.
- Citizens: Limits the ability of indicted individuals to travel internationally during pretrial proceedings.
- International relations: Could affect cases involving foreign nationals or cross-border activities, though the bill applies uniformly regardless of nationality.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Individuals indicted for the specified fraud offenses.
- Federal judges and pretrial services officers responsible for release decisions.
- Prosecutors handling cases under the listed statutes.
- Victims of fraud crimes who may benefit from reduced risk of defendant flight.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The provision modifies existing bail procedures under the Bail Reform Act, potentially raising questions about the balance between ensuring appearance at trial and individual liberty interests, such as freedom of movement.
- It introduces a targeted restriction applicable only to certain financial and fraud crimes, with built-in judicial discretion to avoid overly broad application.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-06-24: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Preventing Fugitive Fraudsters Act — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (2 pages)