---
kind: "section"
citation: "12 U.S.C. § 5566"
title: "12"
title_heading: "Banks and Banking"
number: "5566"
heading: "Referrals for criminal proceedings"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/12/5566"
units:
  - "Chapter 53 — Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection"
  - "Subchapter V — Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection"
  - "Part E — Enforcement Powers"
---

# §5566. Referrals for criminal proceedings


If the [Bureau](/usc/12/5301.md?p=4) obtains evidence that any [person](/usc/12/5481.md?p=19), domestic or foreign, has engaged in conduct that may constitute a [violation](/usc/12/5561.md?p=5) of Federal criminal law, the [Bureau](/usc/12/5301.md?p=4) shall transmit such evidence to the Attorney General of the United States, who may institute criminal proceedings under appropriate law. Nothing in this section affects any other authority of the [Bureau](/usc/12/5301.md?p=4) to disclose information.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–203, title X, § 1056, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2031.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on the designated transfer date, see section 1058 of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 5561 of this title.