The U.S. government has had the ability to seize property for quite a while. The earliest I recall it happening is with drug related crimes. These laws were passed in the '80s allowing officers to seize not just drugs, but all your property and bank accounts prior to trial. This has been argued in court many times and our judges have upheld the feds ability to make such seizures.

The IRS has quite a few powers that seem to violate due process as well.

As to your comment about living in "communist russia" and dealing with corrupt cops...I'm pretty sure what you described happens daily in Atlanta and LA.

Democracy belongs to those who show up and pay up.