Government Enforcement Defense

Our trial lawyers have extensive experience aggressively defending clients in high-profile cases against the government. Our criminal and regulatory practice is primarily cross-border, often involving simultaneous investigations by law enforcement authorities in several countries. We are one of the only firms with former U.S. prosecutors permanently stationed in offices in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.


Publications January 12, 2022

Benjamin Sauter and David McGill: Crypto Traders Should Challenge the CFTC’s Enforcement Authority

Even as the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has relentlessly (and successfully) pursued enforcement actions in cryptocurrency markets, its jurisdictional authority is actually on shaky grounds. Kobre & Kim’s Benjamin Sauter and David McGill explain in an article for Forkast News

Read More

Publications January 11, 2022

Evelyn Sheehan on Far-Reaching U.S. Sanctions Against Latin America in Part Two of Q&A with Aguilar Castillo Love

As part of U.S. law enforcement’s focus on fighting money laundering and corruption in Latin America, sanctions have become a “powerful, rapid-fire tool” in the arsenal, Kobre & Kim’s Evelyn Sheehan told Aguilar Castillo Love’s Natalia Callejas in the second part of a Q&A on new enforcement trends in the region.

Read More

Publications January 5, 2022

From Consolidation to Big Tech Self-Preferencing: Benjamin Sirota Previews Landmark 2022 in U.S. Antitrust Law

2022 looks set to be a landmark year for U.S. antitrust law as Congress considers multiple competition bills aimed at curbing corporate consolidation and the self-preferencing of technology companies. Kobre & Kim’s Benjamin Sirota, a former U.S. federal antitrust prosecutor, previewed the proposals with Law360.

Read More

Publications January 3, 2022

Benjamin Sirota Looks at DOJ’s New No-Poach Antitrust Strategy in Bloomberg Law

Companies and executives now face the risk of indictments as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) moves to treat wage-fixing and no-poach antitrust cases as criminal, rather than civil, matters. Kobre & Kim’s Benjamin Sirota, a former U.S. federal antitrust prosecutor, examined the possible implications when he spoke with Bloomberg Law.

Read More

Publications December 23, 2021

Wade Weems and Joshua Huang in Caixin Global: Here’s How Chinese Targets Should Respond to U.S. Subpoenas

As U.S.-China tensions mount, Chinese individuals and entities are facing rising risks of becoming targets of U.S. criminal investigations. Shanghai-based Wade Weems, a former U.S. federal prosecutor, and Joshua Huang, a former PRC prosecutor focused on cross-border enforcement, share how Chinese targets should respond to protect their liberty and assets in an article for Caixin Global.

Read More

Publications December 22, 2021

Evelyn Sheehan Unpacks FinCEN’s “Drumbeat” of Real Estate Reporting Duties in Global Investigations Review

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) released plans to increase oversight of the real estate market to fight money laundering, the latest in “a consistent drumbeat” of ever-growing reporting duties for global buyers and real estate professionals, Kobre & Kim’s Evelyn Sheehan explained to Global Investigations Review.

Read More

Publications December 16, 2021

Wade Weems Looks Back at 2021 U.S. Anti-Corruption Enforcement Trends with The Anti-Corruption Report

As U.S. authorities step up enforcement against corporate corruption in 2021, they are utilizing an increasingly broad array of tools to proactively – and covertly – investigate companies, rather than just relying on self-reporting. Kobre & Kim’s Wade Weems, a former U.S. federal prosecutor focused on global corruption and bribery, unpacked the trend for The Anti-Corruption Report’s 2021 Year in Review.

Read More

Events December 8, 2021

Vasu Muthyala and Calvin Koo Join Webinar on the Cryptocurrency Legal Landscape in Asia

The legal environment for cryptocurrencies across Asia and the world is evolving rapidly. Hong Kong-based Vasu Muthyala, a former U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor and Securities and Exchange Commission lawyer, and Calvin Koo, who represents financial technology clients on digital currency disputes, join a webinar hosted by Fintelekt Advisory Services and the Asian Bankers Association to survey the landscape at 11:00 am India time / 1:30 pm Singapore time, December 15, 2021.

Read More

Events December 7, 2021

Evelyn Sheehan Explores the Intersection Between Bankruptcy and Asset Forfeiture in ABI Panel

What conflicts arise when criminals facing asset seizure and forfeiture actions from U.S. prosecutors and regulators file for bankruptcy? Evelyn Sheehan, a former U.S. federal prosecutor focused on asset forfeiture, will discuss when she joins an American Bankruptcy Institute Winter Leadership Conference panel in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, at 2:00 pm Los Angeles time, December 10, 2021.

Read More

Publications December 7, 2021

Benjamin Sirota to Quartz: UK’s Blocking of Facebook-Giphy Deal Signals Global Antitrust Regulators’ Low Thresholds

The UK antitrust regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), forced Facebook parent company Meta to unwind the acquisition of GIF database company Giphy. This decision demonstrates the willingness of global antitrust regulators to scrutinize even deals between companies based an ocean away, Benjamin Sirota, a former U.S. federal antitrust prosecutor, told Quartz.

Read More

Publications December 6, 2021

Evelyn Sheehan to Amelia Rueda: Latin America is the Global Anticorruption Enforcement Risk Capital

Recent scandals in Costa Rica – namely operations Diamante and Cochinilla – have brought corruption to the forefront of the public in the region. Together with renewed efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat corruption in Latin America, individuals and companies there now find themselves located in the global risk capital for anticorruption and compliance enforcement. Evelyn Sheehan, a former U.S. federal prosecutor who oversaw international corruption and bribery investigations, examined the latest developments when she sat down with renowned Costa Rican journalist Amelia Rueda for a Spanish-language radio interview.

Read More

Publications December 3, 2021

Benjamin Sirota Speaks with Quartz on UK Antitrust Regulator Ordering Facebook to Sell Giphy

For the first time, the UK’s antitrust regulator ordered an American tech company to sell one of its major acquisitions. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ruled that Meta Platforms, Facebook’s parent company, must divest Giphy, a GIF database and search engine. As Benjamin Sirota, a former U.S. federal antitrust prosecutor, told Quartz, this spells trouble for Facebook and other large tech companies.

Read More

Publications December 2, 2021

Martin De Luca, Wade Weems and Scott Nielson on Growing U.S. Enforcement Against Central America

The passage of the United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act in the U.S. last year – aimed at targeted sanctions to fight corruption in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras –led to the U.S. State Department’s creation of the “Engel List.” The Engel List is a list of corrupt and undemocratic actors in those countries. It signals the United States’ accelerating enforcement in Central America, increasing risks for individuals in the region, as Kobre & Kim’s Martin De Luca, Wade Weems and Scott Nielson explained in an article for The Anti-Corruption Report.

Read More

Events November 30, 2021

William McGovern Addresses Latest Asia-U.S. Anti-Corruption Developments at IWCCS 2021

As anti-corruption and white collar crime enforcement takes on an increasingly globalized scope, what are evolving risks, initiatives and laws destined to shape the landscape in 2022? Kobre & Kim’s William McGovern shared his perspective as part of the International White Collar Crime Symposium’s 2021 event in New York City on November 30. 

Read More

Events November 22, 2021

Lara Levinson and Calvin Koo on the Intersection of Anti-Money Laundering and Digital Assets

How will government enforcement regulations keep up with the rapid evolution of digital assets? Kobre & Kim’s Lara Levinson and Calvin Koo, who focus on enforcement and tracing of digital assets, will discuss the potential intersection of anti-money laundering (AML), cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) at the AML/CTF Annual Summit Philippines, at 2:45 pm Manila time / 6:45 am London time on Friday, November 26. 

Read More

Loading