White Collar

  • August 07, 2025

    Man Pleads Guilty To Tax Evasion, Faces $50M In Restitution

    A man accused of numerous financial crimes related to his operation of promoting abusive and illegal tax shelters pled guilty to three charges across two different cases in Colorado federal court on Thursday.

  • August 07, 2025

    Federal Courts Disclose New Cyberattacks On PACER System

    The federal judiciary on Thursday disclosed there have been escalating cyberattacks on its case management system, putting sealed and sensitive case documents at risk, and that it is taking steps to strengthen its security.

  • August 07, 2025

    Ex-Knick Slams Madison Square Garden's $1.5M Fee Request

    Charles Oakley slammed Madison Square Garden's bid for $1.5 million in attorney fees stemming from its pursuit of the former New York Knick's deleted text messages in his battery suit against the arena, claiming that only "bad faith" could justify such an "inflated" request.

  • August 07, 2025

    Fugitive Trader's Wife Can't Pause Liquidation In $67M Fraud

    The wife of a fugitive Oak Management Corp. trader cannot temporarily block a receiver's plan to liquidate frozen assets and reimburse victims who lost $67 million to her husband's fraud scheme, a Connecticut federal judge has ruled.

  • August 07, 2025

    Ex-Boston Heart CEO Defends Jenner & Block Fee Bid

    Boston Heart's former CEO is urging the Delaware Chancery Court to order the medical testing company to advance her legal fees to pay Jenner & Block LLP for its defense of her in criminal and civil cases, disputing Boston Heart's claims that the law firm's rates are "grossly inflated."

  • August 07, 2025

    Mass. High Court Affirms $1M Pension Loss For OT Fraud

    The forfeiture of $1 million in pension and health benefits following a Massachusetts state trooper's conviction in an overtime fraud scheme is not so grossly disproportionate to the offense that it violates the state constitution's prohibition on excessive fines, Massachusetts' highest court concluded on Thursday.

  • August 07, 2025

    Ex-Data Co. Execs Charged With $25M 'Round Tripping' Scam

    Two executives from bankrupt California data company Near Intelligence Inc. fraudulently inflated the company's revenues by $25 million in a conspiracy that involved a third executive from advertising company MobileFuse LLC, according to a Manhattan federal court indictment unsealed Thursday.

  • August 07, 2025

    Haynes Boone Grows NY Office With Ex-Winston Strawn Atty

    Haynes Boone has added a litigator previously with Winston & Strawn LLP who once headed the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation division as chair of its financial services investigations and enforcement practice in New York, the firm has announced.

  • August 06, 2025

    Masimo Drops Founder Joe Kiani From 'Empty Voting' Suit

    Masimo Corp. has agreed to free its founder, Joe Kiani, from the medical technology company's suit alleging he manipulated a shareholder vote through an "empty voting" scheme, pointing to "the interest of judicial efficiency and economy."

  • August 06, 2025

    DOJ Wants Crypto Fraudsters To Get 10 Years For $577M Case

    Two Estonian nationals say they should get no additional jail time after pleading guilty to running a $577 million crypto-focused Ponzi scheme, while prosecutors told a federal court the men each deserve 10 years in prison "to punish their massive and egregious fraud, to deter them and others from committing similar fraud in the future, and to protect the public."

  • August 06, 2025

    Spinal Implant Co. CEO Avoids Prison After Plea Deal

    The founder and CEO of Massachusetts medical device maker SpineFrontier was sentenced Wednesday to a year of supervised release, the first six months on home confinement, for directing employees to mislead the government about the nature of payments to a surgeon who was using the company's products.

  • August 06, 2025

    NY US Atty Faces Watchdog's Ethics Suit After Altercation

    Legal ethics watchdog Campaign for Accountability on Wednesday called for an ethics probe of acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone III of the Northern District of New York, alleging that he made a number of deceptive claims arising from a June altercation.

  • August 06, 2025

    Texas Immigration Firm Says Rival Falsely Accused It Of Fraud

    A Houston immigration firm has accused a rival of falsely claiming that it encouraged clients to lie on their applications for legal status.

  • August 06, 2025

    Tornado Founder Gets Partial Mistrial, Convicted On 1 Count

    A federal jury in Manhattan on Wednesday convicted Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm of conspiring to operate the crypto mixer as an unlicensed money transmitting business, but deadlocked on money laundering and sanctions charges.

  • August 06, 2025

    SEC Pursues UK Man's Assets Over $10M Stock Fraud

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has launched a legal action in England to enforce a $350,000 U.S. court judgment against a man the agency has alleged was involved in a $10 million fraudulent trans-Atlantic microcap stock trading scheme.

  • August 05, 2025

    Tornado Cash Jury Still Out, SEC Leader Backs Privacy Tech

    Jury deliberations in the money laundering and sanctions trial of Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm continued Tuesday with no verdict, one day after a top securities regulator championed the legitimacy of privacy-protecting technologies, much like defense claims about the cryptocurrency tumbler.

  • August 05, 2025

    Feds Charge 2 With Shipping Nvidia AI Chips To China

    Two Chinese nationals residing in California were charged with using a company they founded to unlawfully export microchips used in AI applications worth "tens of millions of dollars" to China in violation of the Export Control Reform Act, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

  • August 05, 2025

    2nd Circ. Nixes Madoff Feeder Fund Clawback Suits

    About 300 clawback lawsuits filed by the liquidators of British Virgin Islands-based funds that invested in Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities should be dismissed, a Second Circuit panel said on Tuesday, finding the deals were protected by the U.S. Bankruptcy Code's safe harbor for securities transactions.

  • August 05, 2025

    Ex-ComEd Lobbyist Gets 1 Year For Masking Madigan Bribes

    A former lobbyist for Commonwealth Edison was sentenced to a year and a day in prison Tuesday for allowing his lobbying firm to serve as a pass-through for the utility to pay associates of ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan for little to no work, as it sought his support for favorable energy legislation.

  • August 05, 2025

    Shuttered NJ Importer Pleads Guilty To Hiding AC Fire Risks

    A defunct New Jersey importer of consumer appliances pled guilty on Tuesday to one count of willfully violating the Consumer Product Safety Act for its failure to report dangerous defects in more than 33,000 portable air conditioners that have been linked to more than 40 fires and one death, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

  • August 05, 2025

    SEC Fines Platform Founder $10M Over Crypto-Backed Scam

    The owner of a shuttered lending platform has agreed to pay over $10 million to end a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission case accusing him of defrauding customers by using their money to buy millions of dollars' worth of TerraUSD before the stablecoin collapsed.

  • August 05, 2025

    States Push DOJ To Crack Down On Illegal Offshore Gambling

    Attorneys general from several states have written a letter asking the U.S. Department of Justice to target the "rampant spread" of illicit offshore online sports betting and gambling operations, which they say are harming United States citizens and depriving states of tax revenue.

  • August 05, 2025

    Trump-Tied SPAC Exec Rips SEC Suit After Deal Talks Fizzle

    The former CEO of the special-purpose acquisition company that took President Donald Trump's social media platform public has renewed his bid to dismiss the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's suit alleging he failed to timely alert investors to the prospective deal after settlement talks broke down.

  • August 05, 2025

    Ghislaine Maxwell Slams Feds' Bid To Unseal Grand Jury Docs

    Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking children for late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, urged a New York federal judge Tuesday to deny the government's bid to unseal grand jury transcripts, saying release of the sealed materials could jeopardize the appeal of her 2021 conviction.

  • August 05, 2025

    Disbarred North Carolina Atty Admits To Wire Fraud Scheme

    A disbarred lawyer in North Carolina has copped to criminal wire fraud charges stemming from the misuse of his trust account after federal prosecutors said he used escrow funds earmarked for the sale of personal protective equipment to pay back another company.

Expert Analysis

  • DOJ May Rethink Banning Firearms For Marijuana Users

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    In light of various federal circuit court decisions and an executive order from President Donald Trump, U.S. Department of Justice enforcement policy now may be on the verge of changing decidedly in favor of marijuana users' gun rights, and could foreshadow additional marijuana-friendly reforms, says Jacob Raver at Dentons.

  • EDNY Ruling May Limit Some FARA Conspiracy Charges

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    Though the Eastern District of New York’s recent U.S. v. Sun decision upheld Foreign Agents Registration Act charges against a former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, its recognition of an affirmative legislative policy to exempt some officials may help defendants charged with related conspiracies, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

  • 9th Circ. Has Muddied Waters Of Article III Pleading Standard

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    District courts in the Ninth Circuit continue to apply a defunct and especially forgiving pleading standard to questions of Article III standing, and the circuit court itself has only perpetuated this confusion — making it an attractive forum for disputes that have no rightful place in federal court, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • Future Of Enviro Crimes Under Trump's Federal Regs Order

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    President Donald Trump's recent executive order about fighting overcriminalization in federal regulations creates new advocacy opportunities for defense counsel to argue that particular environmental crime investigations and matters ought to be limited or declined based on the policy priorities reflected in the order, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Series

    Competing In Modern Pentathlon Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Opening myself up to new experiences through competing in modern Olympic pentathlon has shrunk the appearance of my daily work annoyances and helps me improve my patience, manage crises better and remember that acquiring new skills requires working through your early mistakes, says attorney Mary Zoldak.

  • If Justices Accept, Maxwell Case May Clarify Meaning Of 'US'

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    If the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to take up Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal, it could clarify the meaning of “United States” in the context of plea agreements, and a plain language interpretation of the term would offer criminal defendants fairness and finality, say attorneys at Kudman Trachten.

  • DOJ Memo Lays Groundwork For Healthy Bank Sponsorships

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's recent digital asset policy shift offers potential clarity in the murky waters of sponsor bank relationships, presenting nontraditional financial companies with both a moment of opportunity and a test of maturity, say attorneys at Arnall Golden.

  • Policy Shifts May Follow Burst Of Defense Cyber Settlements

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    Recent False Claims Act settlements with defense contractors MORSECORP and Nightwing suggest that cybersecurity standards for government contractors remain a key enforcement priority, but these may represent a final flurry of activity before the Trump administration transitions to different policy goals, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Teaching Yourself Legal Tech

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    New graduates often enter practice unfamiliar with even basic professional software, but budding lawyers can use on-the-job opportunities to both catch up on technological skills and explore the advanced legal and artificial intelligence tools that will open doors, says Alyssa Sones at Sheppard Mullin.

  • In 2nd Term, Trump Has New Iran Sanctions Enforcement Tool

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    As tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalate, the Trump administration may use a whistleblower program enacted in 2022 to target violations that were previously more difficult to detect, thus expanding enforcement of economic sanctions, say attorneys at MoloLamken and Zuckerman Law.

  • How AI May Reshape The Future Of Adjudication

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    As discussed at a recent panel at Texas A&M, artificial intelligence will not erase the human element of adjudication in the next 10 to 20 years, but it will drive efficiencies that spur private arbiters to experiment, lead public courts to evolve and force attorneys to adapt, says Christopher Seck at Squire Patton.

  • When Legal Advocacy Crosses The Line Into Incivility

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    As judges issue sanctions for courtroom incivility, and state bars advance formal discipline rules, trial lawyers must understand that the difference between zealous advocacy and unprofessionalism is not just a matter of tone; it's a marker of skill, credibility and potentially disciplinary exposure, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • 3 Corporate Deposition Prep Tips To Counter 'Reptile' Tactics

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    With plaintiffs counsel’s rising use of reptile strategies that seek to activate jurors' survival instincts, corporate deponents face an increased risk of being lulled into providing testimony that undercuts a key defense or sets up the plaintiff's case strategy at trial, making it important to consider factors like cross-examination and timing, say attorneys at Dentons.

  • FCPA Enforcement Is Here To Stay, But It May Look Different

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    After a monthslong enforcement pause, the U.S. Department of Justice’s new Foreign Corrupt Practices Act guidelines fundamentally shift prosecutorial discretion and potentially reduce investigatory burdens for organizations, but open questions remain, so companies should continue to exercise caution, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Series

    Volunteering At Schools Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Speaking to elementary school students about the importance of college and other opportunities after high school — especially students who may not see those paths reflected in their daily lives — not only taught me the importance of giving back, but also helped to sharpen several skills essential to a successful legal practice, says Guillermo Escobedo at Constangy.

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