Police in Rochester, New York, seized $8,040 from Cristal Starling during a raid on her apartment in October 2020. Starling was never charged with a crime, but she may never see her money again due to missing a court deadline during the complicated process of challenging the seizure.
Starling's apartment was one of two locations Rochester police hit while investigating her former boyfriend, who was suspected of dealing drugs. The police didn't find any drugs in the apartment, but they did find and take Starling's cash. Under civil asset forfeiture laws, police can seize property suspected of being connected to criminal activity. (Starling's ex-boyfriend was arrested for drugs found at a separate raid in the same investigation, but he was later acquitted.)
