A criminal referral is a formal notification sent by an individual, agency, or institution to a law enforcement body — typically the FBI or DOJ — asking that a matter be investigated as a potential crime. In the federal system, criminal referrals can come from members of Congress, executive branch officials, inspectors general, or private citizens. Unlike a grand jury indictment or a criminal charge, a referral simply initiates a review process. The decision to open a full investigation and pursue charges rests with the receiving law enforcement agency and prosecutors. Criminal referrals can be misused to trigger investigations of political opponents under the guise of legitimate law enforcement.