After the “Great Recession,” the near-collapse of the American banking system, and highly publicized trials for insider trading (Martha Stewart, Doug DeCinces, Jeffrey Skilling), companies and individual executives have increasingly found themselves under a government magnifying glass.

This heightened scrutiny has not been confined to regulatory action but has often resulted in criminal investigations and prosecutions. Enforcement actions have increased in health care, securities, banking, antitrust, government contracting, mortgage loan fraud, and under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, to name just a few. Executives are sometimes shocked to find what they see as simple their business decisions may lead the government to seek felony convictions, lengthy prison terms and enormous fines.

Our attorneys have deep experience in defending these types of cases due to their backgrounds in government service for the district attorney, federal public defender and Department of Justice. Together they have decades of experience. Several are recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for White Collar Criminal Defense, one was named Lawyer of the Year in the field, and another was recognized in 2021 by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the “Top 100 White Collar Lawyers in California.”

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

Environmental

• Represented an executive at a chrome wheel company on numerous counts of felony illegal discharge of toxic substances into stream bed.  After extensive litigation and payment of remediation expenses, all charges dismissed.
• Represented a Southern California school district in federal grand jury investigation regarding alleged asbestos exposure. No charges were filed.
• Represented an individual charged with conspiracy to distribute noxious gasses and persuaded the government to dismiss all felony charges.

Conflict of Interest/Governmental

• Represented the Orange County CAO in Orange County bankruptcy litigation with the District Attorney and SEC, as well in civil litigation.  Client was never charged with a crime, fined, or ordered to pay restitution.
• Represented a major landscaping contractor on multiple felony charges he entered into an illegal scheme to secure a multi-million-dollar contract with the County of Orange.
• Represented the Sheriff of Orange County in an investigation by the state Attorney General into claims of misuse of his public office.  Grand jury convened; no indictment obtained.  (Client was indicted in a separate federal investigation, in which he was represented by different counsel.)
• Represented real estate developer on felony charges that he used campaign contributions as a bribe to secure a $100 million settlement with the County of San Bernardino in an alleged pay-to-play corruption scheme.
• Represented former public school district superintendent in federal and state investigations into claims of misuse of his office.
• Represented leading global financial services firm as defendant in a contempt action and forced plaintiff to dismiss the case.
• Defended a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marines against felony allegations of theft of government benefits.
• Secured acquittal for business owner charged with committing financial fraud against the federal government.

Medical and Health Care Fraud

• Represented the former chief of gastroenterology at a major Southern California hospital, and professor of medicine at UCLA, on an indictment alleging conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.  District Attorney alleged fraud was in excess of $100 million.
• In same case listed above, represented physician in action by the state Attorney General to suspend client’s license to practice medicine while criminal case pending.  Motion denied; client continues to practice.  (Both codefendant physicians represented by different lawyers lost their licenses.)
• Represented a pharmacist/pharmacy owner being investigated by U.S. Attorney for multi-million dollar violation of Pharmaceutical Drug Marketing Act; negotiated a no-prison time disposition.
• Represented a physician in the UCI fertility clinic litigation, both civil and criminal.  Federal prosecutor was seeking indictments on mail and wire fraud for alleged false billings.  Client was the only doctor, of four in the group, not indicted by the U.S. Attorney.
• Represented physician on an indictment alleging insurance and billing fraud.  District Attorney alleged fraud was in excess of $25 million.
• Represented the business manager of medical practice on an indictment alleging insurance fraud, billing fraud, and illegal kickbacks.
• Represented an acute care center in an investigation by the California Attorney General into claims of patient endangerment and elder abuse.
• Defended owner of healthcare company against allegations of Medicare fraud.

Legal Services Fraud

• Represented, through jury verdict, a lawyer charged with engineering the then-largest insurance fraud case in the history of California, a massive RICO prosecution alleging $200 million dollars worth of over-billing to insurance carriers for legal fees.  Acquitted on over half the counts.

Investor Fraud

• Represented the principal of an investment company in a District Attorney investigation into a $54 million Ponzi scheme and sale of unlicensed securities.
• Defended fund manager during FINRA, SEC, and federal criminal investigations alleging insider trading and market manipulation.
• Obtained dismissal of all charges in federal felony fraud prosecution.

Mortgage Loan Fraud

• Represented the target of investigation into over $200 million dollar mortgage loan fraud scheme.  No indictment.
• Represented investor charged with mortgage loan fraud in state court based on multiple incidents in two counties.   After hotly contested litigation, case dismissed for lack of territorial jurisdiction and denial of a continuous preliminary hearing.
• Represent the president of an appraisal company charged with conspiracy to commit mortgage loan fraud and identity theft.
• Represent the CEO of a mortgage loan company under investigation for mortgage loan fraud.
• Represented a business owner charged in international Ponzi scheme, and conducted proceedings in foreign court.
• Obtained acquittal for entrepreneur charged with international currency violations.

Movie Piracy

• Represented defendant on federal charges of illegally uploading and distributing pre-release film by major motion picture studio.  Studio sought hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution.  Negotiated sentence of straight probation with U.S. Attorney.  Persuaded court to order no restitution

Banking

• Representing executive of failed bank on federal investigation into misstatements of earnings.  No indictment will be brought.

Multi-Jurisdictional

• Represented a savings and loan officer and venture capital investor on federal charges in three states on completely separate cases involving multimillion dollar 1) misapplication of funds, 2) defrauding an insurance company, 3) bank fraud. Cases were ultimately wrapped up for a 16-month sentence in a minimum security facility in California.

Corporate Investigation

• Retained by a billion dollar company to do an extensive internal investigation that uncovered illegal kickbacks to highly placed employees.  Several employees terminated.

Consumer Fraud

• Represent regional automobile dealership network in felony action alleging failure to transfer vehicle title to consumers.

Wire Fraud/Honest Services Fraud

• Represented a defendant in the “Varsity Blues College Admissions Scandal” in Federal Court in Boston, MA.  After extensive investigation and motion practice, an acceptable plea deal was reached.

Tax Fraud

• Defended an executive charged with federal tax fraud violations.
• Obtained noncustodial disposition for former partner of large international law firm in federal tax fraud prosecution.