Explainer-How U.S. law enforcement could take control of Russian oligarchs' assets

FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen at the United States Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 29, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department last week launched a task force aimed at choking off assets that Russian oligarchs own in the United States, part of Washington's efforts to pressure Moscow to cease its invasion of Ukraine.

Here's how federal prosecutors could seize property belonging to allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin within the United States and use civil forfeiture laws to confiscate their assets permanently.