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Former U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito is a partner in King & Spalding’s Special Matters & Government Investigations practice. Craig’s experience heading one of the nation’s largest U.S. Attorney’s Offices, co-chairing the litigation department of an AmLaw 50 law firm and as an SEC enforcement attorney helps him solve his clients’ most complex and sensitive problems.  Bringing over two decades of experience as a litigator in private and public practice, Craig has a proven track record of success in counseling financial services and healthcare clients through government investigations and high-stakes litigation.

Immediately prior to joining King & Spalding, Craig served as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, directing all federal criminal and civil matters in the state of New Jersey.  As U.S. Attorney, Craig made significant organizational changes, including creating the nation’s first standalone opioid enforcement unit and the District’s first cybercrimes unit.  Craig also expanded the  number of federal prosecutors in New Jersey addressing healthcare, government fraud and civil rights investigations and prosecutions.   In August 2018, working with DOJ’s Fraud Section, he announced the formation of the first Medicare Strike Force in New Jersey. 

During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, Craig was personally engaged on a number of investigations and prosecutions, including oversite of DOJ’s Consent Decree with the Newark Police Department and significant healthcare, accounting and financial fraud matters, as well as matters involving key federal enforcement statutes, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, False Claims Act, and Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.  In 2019, while he was U.S. Attorney, Craig successfully tried a case to verdict, convicting the leader of a drug trafficking organization and securing a 24-year prison term at sentencing.  Craig also brings extensive crisis management experience from his tenure, including notably chairing DOJ’s national COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force, as well as directly overseeing investigations of two hate-based domestic terrorism attacks in New Jersey during his tenure.  He was a member of the Attorney General’s advisory subcommittees on healthcare fraud and cyber security and cryptocurrencies.

Prior to his service as U.S. Attorney, Craig spent ten years as a partner at an AmLaw 50 law firm, where he was co-chair of the firm’s litigation and trial practice group and also led its white collar, government and internal investigations team.  Craig represented corporate and individual clients in domestic investigations by the DOJ, SEC, CFTC, HHS, OFAC, and IRS, as well as FINRA, BATS, ICE, CME and various states' attorneys general offices. He counseled companies and individuals in international investigations, including matters before the SEC’s Office of International Affairs and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and Serious Fraud Office.  Craig also represented clients in complex civil litigations and trials in federal and state courts.

Earlier in his career, Craig served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Securities and Health Care Fraud Unit in New Jersey where he investigated and prosecuted numerous complex fraud cases, including the successful trial of Cendant Corp. CEO Walter Forbes.  Craig also served as a senior counsel in the New York Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement.

Recent Publication:
Co-authored a chapter in PLI’s SEC Compliance and Enforcement Answer Book on Multinational Aspects of SEC Investigations

Full Bio

Credentials

J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law

B.A., Rider University

New Jersey

New York

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York

American Bar Association

Association of Securities and Exchange Commission Alumni

Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey (Advisory Committee Member)

National Association of Former United States Attorneys (NAFUSA)

New Jersey Reentry Corporation Training Center Board of Trustees

New Jersey State Bar Association

New York State Bar Association

SIFMA, Legal and Compliance Division

Seton Hall University School of Law Board of Visitors

The Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey

The New York Council of Defense Lawyers (NYCDL)

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey Alumni Association

United States District Court for the District of New Jersey Lawyer’s Advisory Committee

Ranked as a leading lawyer in two practice areas: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations and Healthcare


Chambers USA

Described as "an outstanding attorney and seasoned white-collar adviser" that is “extremely dedicated to his clients”


Chambers USA

"He brings great judgment in everything from legal strategy to public affairs to all the things that matter in a crisis"


Chambers USA

Described by a healthcare client as having "deep subject matter knowledge."


Chambers USA

Ranked as a leading financial services lawyer "with extensive governmental and regulatory expertise."


Legal 500

Named a Rising Star in white-collar defense and government/internal investigations


Law360, 2012

Selected to New York Metro Super Lawyers from 2011 until his DOJ appointment in 2018


Super Lawyers

Close

Recognition

Ranked as a leading lawyer in two practice areas: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations and Healthcare


Chambers USA

Described as "an outstanding attorney and seasoned white-collar adviser" that is “extremely dedicated to his clients”


Chambers USA

"He brings great judgment in everything from legal strategy to public affairs to all the things that matter in a crisis"


Chambers USA

Described by a healthcare client as having "deep subject matter knowledge."


Chambers USA

Ranked as a leading financial services lawyer "with extensive governmental and regulatory expertise."


Legal 500

Named a Rising Star in white-collar defense and government/internal investigations


Law360, 2012

Selected to New York Metro Super Lawyers from 2011 until his DOJ appointment in 2018


Super Lawyers

Matters

Conducted high-stakes internal investigations for major financial services and healthcare companies involving the federal securities and commodities laws, broker-dealer and investment advisor regulations, and healthcare laws and regulations.

Represented a multinational financial services company in parallel investigations by federal and state regulators relating to its RMBS practices.

Represented a sitting Governor in a criminal investigation concerning allegations of official misconduct.

See more

Close

Matters

Conducted high-stakes internal investigations for major financial services and healthcare companies involving the federal securities and commodities laws, broker-dealer and investment advisor regulations, and healthcare laws and regulations.

Represented a multinational financial services company in parallel investigations by federal and state regulators relating to its RMBS practices.

Represented a sitting Governor in a criminal investigation concerning allegations of official misconduct.

Represented a key figure in the “Bridgegate” matter in parallel investigations by the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee on Investigations and the Department of Justice.

Represented high-level executives of global financial institutions in multinational investigations into the possible manipulation of key financial benchmarks, including LIBOR, EURIBOR and ISDAfix.

Represented a senior health care executive in parallel investigations concerning alleged violations of federal and state False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statutes.

Represented a former Dewey & Leboeuf employee in the New York County District Attorney’s Office’s investigation of the downfall of the firm, successfully obtaining immunity for the client.

Represented multiple traders and sales personnel in investigations by the DOJ and SEC into the RMBS and CMBS trading practices.

Conducted an internal investigation and represented a health care provider in parallel investigations concerning federal and state False Claims Act violations.

Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of the Special Committee of an international corporation concerning potential financial improprieties resulting in a restatement, violations of the of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and potential insider trading by a key employee, and represented the Committee in resulting parallel investigations by the DOJ and SEC.

Represented a worldwide financial services provider in an internal investigation of potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and OFAC regulations by an employee who attempted to broker deals with the Iranian government.

Defended a registered investment advisor from the most serious fraud allegations being investigated by the SEC and CFTC stemming from its valuation of Level III assets.

Represented investment companies, broker-dealers, funds and numerous individuals in several high-profile insider trading investigations and prosecutions by the SEC, FINRA, DOJ, CFTC and foreign regulators, including those stemming from the high-profile “expert networking” investigation.

Matters

Conducted high-stakes internal investigations for major financial services and healthcare companies involving the federal securities and commodities laws, broker-dealer and investment advisor regulations, and healthcare laws and regulations.

Represented a multinational financial services company in parallel investigations by federal and state regulators relating to its RMBS practices.

Represented a sitting Governor in a criminal investigation concerning allegations of official misconduct.

See more

Close

Matters

Conducted high-stakes internal investigations for major financial services and healthcare companies involving the federal securities and commodities laws, broker-dealer and investment advisor regulations, and healthcare laws and regulations.

Represented a multinational financial services company in parallel investigations by federal and state regulators relating to its RMBS practices.

Represented a sitting Governor in a criminal investigation concerning allegations of official misconduct.

Represented a key figure in the “Bridgegate” matter in parallel investigations by the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee on Investigations and the Department of Justice.

Represented high-level executives of global financial institutions in multinational investigations into the possible manipulation of key financial benchmarks, including LIBOR, EURIBOR and ISDAfix.

Represented a senior health care executive in parallel investigations concerning alleged violations of federal and state False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statutes.

Represented a former Dewey & Leboeuf employee in the New York County District Attorney’s Office’s investigation of the downfall of the firm, successfully obtaining immunity for the client.

Represented multiple traders and sales personnel in investigations by the DOJ and SEC into the RMBS and CMBS trading practices.

Conducted an internal investigation and represented a health care provider in parallel investigations concerning federal and state False Claims Act violations.

Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of the Special Committee of an international corporation concerning potential financial improprieties resulting in a restatement, violations of the of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and potential insider trading by a key employee, and represented the Committee in resulting parallel investigations by the DOJ and SEC.

Represented a worldwide financial services provider in an internal investigation of potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and OFAC regulations by an employee who attempted to broker deals with the Iranian government.

Defended a registered investment advisor from the most serious fraud allegations being investigated by the SEC and CFTC stemming from its valuation of Level III assets.

Represented investment companies, broker-dealers, funds and numerous individuals in several high-profile insider trading investigations and prosecutions by the SEC, FINRA, DOJ, CFTC and foreign regulators, including those stemming from the high-profile “expert networking” investigation.

Credentials

J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law

B.A., Rider University

New Jersey

New York

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York

American Bar Association

Association of Securities and Exchange Commission Alumni

Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey (Advisory Committee Member)

National Association of Former United States Attorneys (NAFUSA)

New Jersey Reentry Corporation Training Center Board of Trustees

New Jersey State Bar Association

New York State Bar Association

SIFMA, Legal and Compliance Division

Seton Hall University School of Law Board of Visitors

The Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey

The New York Council of Defense Lawyers (NYCDL)

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey Alumni Association

United States District Court for the District of New Jersey Lawyer’s Advisory Committee

Ranked as a leading lawyer in two practice areas: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations and Healthcare


Chambers USA

Described as "an outstanding attorney and seasoned white-collar adviser" that is “extremely dedicated to his clients”


Chambers USA

"He brings great judgment in everything from legal strategy to public affairs to all the things that matter in a crisis"


Chambers USA

Described by a healthcare client as having "deep subject matter knowledge."


Chambers USA

Ranked as a leading financial services lawyer "with extensive governmental and regulatory expertise."


Legal 500

Named a Rising Star in white-collar defense and government/internal investigations


Law360, 2012

Selected to New York Metro Super Lawyers from 2011 until his DOJ appointment in 2018


Super Lawyers

Close

Recognition

Ranked as a leading lawyer in two practice areas: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations and Healthcare


Chambers USA

Described as "an outstanding attorney and seasoned white-collar adviser" that is “extremely dedicated to his clients”


Chambers USA

"He brings great judgment in everything from legal strategy to public affairs to all the things that matter in a crisis"


Chambers USA

Described by a healthcare client as having "deep subject matter knowledge."


Chambers USA

Ranked as a leading financial services lawyer "with extensive governmental and regulatory expertise."


Legal 500

Named a Rising Star in white-collar defense and government/internal investigations


Law360, 2012

Selected to New York Metro Super Lawyers from 2011 until his DOJ appointment in 2018


Super Lawyers