White Collar

  • April 15, 2024

    Justices Suggest Bribery Law Could Criminalize Routine Gifts

    U.S. Supreme Court justices pressed the federal government Monday to specify what kinds of rewards fall under a bribery statute frequently used in public corruption prosecutions and why they should be considered graft, voicing concerns that ordinary people could face hefty prison time for routine gift-giving.

  • April 15, 2024

    Feds Say $3.5M 'Cryptojacking' Scam Targeted Cloud Services

    A Nebraska man defrauded two cloud computing services of $3.5 million and used the proceeds to mine an additional $1 million in cryptocurrency, Brooklyn federal prosecutors said Monday.

  • April 15, 2024

    'Magician' Tax Preparer Arrested On $100M Fraud Charges

    The owner of a New York tax preparation business who was known as "the magician" was arrested Monday on charges that he caused more than $100 million in tax losses to the government over a decade, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • April 15, 2024

    Feds Seek Prison For Group That Invaded Abortion Clinic

    Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences for six anti-abortion activists convicted of storming a Washington, D.C., abortion clinic, including a six-year term for the alleged "criminal mastermind" behind this and other blockades.

  • April 15, 2024

    Prosecutor Says Trump Can't Keep Punting Docs Deadlines

    The special counsel prosecuting former President Donald Trump over the alleged mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate has asked a Florida federal judge to deny Trump's request for another delay, arguing Trump should not be able to use a trial against him in New York to further delay the proceeding.

  • April 15, 2024

    Feds Flag DNA, Bank Names On Menendez Cash Bundles

    Federal prosecutors pursuing bribery charges against U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez have countered his bid to scrap evidence — such as gold bars and $10,000 cash bundles — from his upcoming trial, telling a New York federal judge that fingerprints, DNA and currency straps from banks where Menendez and his wife don't have accounts derail his claim that the money comes from personal savings. 

  • April 15, 2024

    Senators Demand Info On CFTC Chats With Bankman-Fried

    Two U.S. senators have asked the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's chair to detail all of his communications and meetings with convicted FTX fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried.

  • April 15, 2024

    9th Circ. To Hear Hunter Biden Appeal In Criminal Tax Case

    The Ninth Circuit will hear Hunter Biden's argument that a California federal judge wrongly rejected requests by his defense team to toss a criminal tax case that Biden has claimed is politically motivated and vindictive, according to a notice filed Monday.

  • April 15, 2024

    'Rust' Armorer Gets 18 Mos. For On-Set Shooting Death

    A New Mexico judge gave "Rust" film armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed the maximum 18-month prison sentence Monday for involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the low-budget Western starring actor-producer Alec Baldwin, who faces trial on the same charge this summer.

  • April 15, 2024

    Conn. Atty Aided $1.4M Transfer Scam, Developer Says

    Connecticut attorney Carole W. Briggs "intentionally orchestrated and participated in" a business email compromise scam that stole more than $1.4 million from a New Jersey-based real estate development company last year, according to a civil lawsuit in federal court.

  • April 15, 2024

    Sotomayor, Jackson Dissent As Court Rejects Capital Cases

    In a pair of dissents, Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor on Monday broke with a majority of their colleagues on the U.S. Supreme Court who declined to hear two death penalty cases.

  • April 15, 2024

    Justice Thomas Misses Monday's Supreme Court Arguments

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was absent Monday for oral arguments examining disputes over whether accepting illegal gratuities without a quid pro quo is prohibited under a federal bribery statute and what test courts should apply when determining whether malicious prosecution claims can proceed. 

  • April 15, 2024

    Stressed About The Trump Trial? Imagine How The Attys Feel

    A trial-of-the-century moment like Donald Trump's New York criminal case heaps singular attention and pressure on the lawyers involved — and a commensurate need for smart stress relief tactics during months of prep, lawyers who have taken on landmark cases say.

  • April 15, 2024

    Justices Won't Review Ex-NYC Union Head's Bribery Rap

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up the appeal of a former New York City union president who was convicted of taking bribes from now-defunct hedge fund Platinum Partners, rejecting a petition that argued his attorney failed to tell him about the trial judge's conflicts of interest.

  • April 15, 2024

    Trump Accused Of Witness Threats As Jury Selection Begins

    The Manhattan district attorney's office on Monday asked the judge overseeing Donald Trump's hush money trial to find Trump in contempt for flouting the court's gag order barring witness intimidation, on day one of jury selection in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.

  • April 12, 2024

    Judge Refuses To Throw Out Hunter Biden's Gun Indictment

    A Delaware federal judge has rejected Hunter Biden's various attempts to duck felony firearm charges ahead of a trial, in particular slamming his contention that he is being selectively prosecuted because he's the president's son as "nonsensical" and "all speculation."

  • April 12, 2024

    Trump Can't Derail Hush Money Trial Over Media Saturation

    A New York judge overseeing Donald Trump's hush money case on Friday rejected another of the former president's bids to derail trial next week, waving off his complaints that prejudicial media coverage has tainted the jury pool.

  • April 12, 2024

    Feds Rest In $110M Mango Markets Trial Of Crypto Trader

    Manhattan federal prosecutors on Friday rested their case against a crypto trader accused of stealing $110 million from Mango Markets investors by pumping the price of the exchange's native token, while the defense argued that the government had failed to show that the crypto derivatives at issue were swaps as alleged in the indictment.

  • April 12, 2024

    Ex-Biotech CEO Gets 7 Years In Fake COVID Test Case

    A former biotech CEO accused of defrauding investors by touting a phony rapid finger-prick COVID test was sentenced to seven years in prison in D.C. federal court Friday.

  • April 12, 2024

    Charges In Trump Docs Case Aren't Specific, Personnel Say

    Two men charged with conspiring to obstruct the investigation into whether former President Donald Trump illegally retained classified documents at Mar-a-Lago after leaving office urged a Florida federal court on Friday to dismiss the indictments against them, saying they don't specifically allege any crimes.

  • April 12, 2024

    Anthem Wants Kwok Ch. 11 Trustee To Foot Mediation Bill

    Anthem has objected to plans from the Chapter 11 trustee overseeing Chinese exile Ho Wan Kwok's estate to force it and hundreds of other avoidance action defendants into mediation, questioning the merits of the case against it and arguing the insurer should not be forced to cover half of the costs of the efforts.

  • April 12, 2024

    Petition Watch: Judge DQs, 'Excessive' Damages & Price Wars

    A former al-Qaida member has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify disqualification protocol for judges overseeing a case related to their prior work as a government attorney, and energy drink manufacturers want the court to develop a modern-day test to determine if companies qualify as price-discrimination competitors. Here's four high court petitions filed recently that you might've missed.

  • April 12, 2024

    DEA Unlawfully Pushing Psychedelics Ban, Researcher Says

    A psychedelic research company has asked a Washington federal judge to block the Drug Enforcement Administration from proceeding with its plan to ban two psychedelic substances, saying the agency's process for bringing the matter before an administrative judge has been unlawful.

  • April 12, 2024

    Ohtani's Ex-Translator Gets $25K Bond On $16M Fraud Charge

    Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, made his first appearance in California federal court Friday, with a magistrate judge ruling that he can be released on a $25,000 bond following his arrest for a bank fraud charge filed Thursday over allegations that he stole over $16 million from the baseball player.

  • April 12, 2024

    Ex-Pfizer Worker's Pal Avoids Prison In Insider Trading Case

    An electrical engineer was sentenced to probation Friday for trading Pfizer Inc.'s stock using confidential tips about the efficacy of its COVID-19 drug, after a Manhattan federal court recognized his decision to voluntarily assist prosecutors with the trial conviction of his friend, a former Pfizer employee who leaked insider information.

Expert Analysis

  • What Cos. Can Learn From 2023 Export Enforcement Report

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    A January report summarizing key actions and policy changes undertaken at the Office of Export Enforcement in 2023 is a valuable indicator of future government priorities and the factors companies should consider as they conduct export operations amid what may be a turbulent international trading environment in 2024, says Thaddeus McBride at Bass Berry.

  • What EU And UK Corp. Corruption Reform Means For US Cos.

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    Legislative developments in the U.K. and European Union have signaled that the prosecution of fraud and corruption is becoming a greater priority, and large U.S. companies with a global presence should view them as an opportunity to create and revise their global compliance programs, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • Series

    Competing In Triathlons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While practicing law and competing in long-distance triathlons can make work and life feel unbalanced at times, participating in the sport has revealed important lessons about versatility, self-care and perseverance that apply to the office as much as they do the racecourse, says Laura Heusel at Butler Snow.

  • Opinion

    History Reveals Folly Of Absolute Presidential Immunity

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    As a federal appeals court grapples with former President Donald Trump’s claims that he’s immune from prosecution on election interference charges, it’s a fitting time for lawyers to reflect on the rule of law — from 13th century jurisprudence to Watergate and the Clinton impeachment — and how the idea of absolute presidential immunity is unwise, says attorney Steven Reske.

  • Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument

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    Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.

  • Perspectives

    6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

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    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

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    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • How US Companies Can Wield The New Foreign Bribery Law

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    U.S. companies operating in high-risk markets can use the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act that passed last month to their advantage both in preventing bribe demands and in negotiating with the Justice Department to prevent prosecution or to receive cooperation credit, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • New Tech, Old Tricks: How GCs Can Fight White Collar Crime

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    As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency provide bad actors with new avenues to commit classic crimes, general counsel should develop a strategy to future-proof their organizations against such threats and prepare for regulatory scrutiny, say directors at FTI Consulting.

  • Unpacking PCAOB's Sanctions Against China-Based Auditors

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    Following the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's first major enforcement actions against audit firms located in China and Hong Kong for violating quality control standards, China-based U.S. issuers should be prepared for more rigorous audits in the upcoming cycle, and for continuing strict scrutiny from the regulator, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • 3 Areas Of Focus In Congressional Crosshairs This Year

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    Companies must prepare for Congress to build on its 2023 oversight priorities this year, continuing its vigorous inquiries into Chinese company-related investments, workplace safety and labor relations issues, and generative artificial intelligence, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Perspectives

    Justices May Clarify Expert Witness Confrontation Confusion

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    After oral arguments in Smith v. Arizona, the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to hold that expert witness opinions that rely on out-of-court testimonial statements for their factual basis are unconstitutional, thus resolving some of the complications created by the court’s confrontation clause jurisprudence, says Richard Friedman at the University of Michigan Law School.

  • What's On Tap For Public Corruption Prosecutions In 2024

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    All signs point toward another year of blockbuster public corruption prosecutions in 2024, revealing broader trends in enforcement and jurisprudence, and promising valuable lessons for defense strategy, says Kenneth Notter at MoloLamken.

  • Global Cartel Enforcement Looks Set To Intensify In 2024

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    The cartel enforcement winds may strengthen this year, with the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as regulators in other countries, placing a renewed focus on pursuing international cartels and more traditional, hard-core cartel conduct, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Series

    Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.

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