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.


Firm News November 19, 2020

Kobre & Kim Seeks Knock-Out Punch in Suit Against CFTC For Disclosure of Kraft Settlement Documents

Kobre & Kim has asked a federal judge to grant its motion for summary judgement in its FOIA suit against the CFTC, which seeks to shed light on the agency’s infamous US $16 million “gag” settlement last year with Kraft and Mondelez over allegations of wheat futures manipulation. The firm is seeking an order compelling the CFTC to produce a trove of unredacted documents and communications, including records from the two days after the CFTC retracted its press releases about the settlement, which accused Kraft of market manipulation in apparent violation of the consent order that had just been entered by a federal judge.

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Publications November 11, 2020

Robin Rathmell on Fighting Money Laundering in the Art Market

Crime bosses, kleptocrats and narcotraffickers have increasingly turned to the fine arts market to launder their illicit funds. How can law-abiding high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and stakeholders in the art market protect themselves and the industry? Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell, who focuses on representing international private clients, discusses in an FTI Consulting podcast, “Fraud Eats Strategy,” with Scott Moritz.

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Events November 4, 2020

Video: Kobre & Kim Kicks Off its Participation at the 2020 China International Import Expo (CIIE)

Kobre & Kim founding partners Michael Kim and Steve Kobre, together with Asia Pacific Regional Managing Director Lian Lian, kicked off the firm’s participation at the 2020 China International Import Expo (CIIE), which runs in Shanghai from November 5 through November 10.

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Publications October 27, 2020

Wealth Talk: Evelyn Sheehan on the DOJ’s “Long Reach” towards Latin America’s HNWIs

In the fourth episode of Kobre & Kim and Family Wealth Report’s “Wealth Talk” series on cross-border litigation scenarios facing high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) around the world,  Kobre & Kim’s Evelyn Sheehan sat down with Robin Rathmell to discuss how clients in Latin America and around the world are increasingly within the extending reach of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

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Publications October 21, 2020

U.S. Federal Judge Sides with Kobre & Kim in Potentially Far-Reaching Spoofing Decision

Kobre & Kim successfully persuaded a U.S. federal judge to dismiss a spoofing charge against a former Merrill Lynch trader on October 16, Reuters reported, a decision that may affect how prosecutors decide to charge violations of the anti-spoofing statute in the future.

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Publications October 14, 2020

Wealth Talk: Sean Buckley on Navigating U.S. Sanctions Risks

In the third episode of our “Wealth Talk” series on cross-border litigation scenarios facing high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) around the world, created by Kobre & Kim’s International Private Client (IPC) team and Family Wealth Report, Kobre & Kim’s Sean Buckley and Robin Rathmell sat down to discuss how clients with operations linked to Venezuela and other sanctioned countries should handle risks from U.S. sanctions.

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Accolades October 5, 2020

Kobre & Kim Recognized as Top White-Collar Crime Defense Law Firm by Legal500 UK

Legal500 has once again recognized Kobre & Kim as a leading “Fraud: White-Collar Crime” law firm in their 2021 UK rankings.

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Publications September 30, 2020

Evelyn Sheehan and Jason Short on the DOJ’s Growing Reach Into Latin America

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has enforced the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) at a record pace last year, building on a trend of the agency extending their reach extraterritorially, particularly over jurisdictions in Latin America. Kobre & Kim’s Evelyn Sheehan and Jason Short explain the DOJ’s expanding reach and provide some advice for private client professionals to navigate this landscape in an article for the Anti-Corruption Report.

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Publications September 29, 2020

Wealth Talk: John Han on Risks and Strategies for Wealth Advisers and Clients Shifting Wealth Out of Hong Kong

In the second episode of our “Wealth Talk” series on litigation scenarios facing high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) around the world, created by Kobre & Kim’s International Private Client (IPC) team and Wealth Briefing, Kobre & Kim’s John Han sat down with Robin Rathmell to discuss risks to HNWIs and their wealth professionals as they shift assets out of Hong Kong.

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Publications September 24, 2020

Scott Hulsey Discusses the New Legal Perils Triggered by the Pandemic with The Wall Street Journal

“The coronavirus pandemic has created a legal minefield for companies,” opens the Wall Street Journal in a recent article exploring vulnerabilities such as remote working, complex government regulations and travel restrictions. Kobre & Kim’s Scott Hulsey, who specializes in complex government investigations and was a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice and Chief Compliance Officer at General Electric, sat down with the Journal to discuss the ins and outs of investigations work in an almost fully remote world.

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Publications September 24, 2020

Wade Weems Weighs In on Prospects of a “Probable” TikTok Deal in Politico

The ownership over TikTok is just the latest geopolitical fight between the U.S. and China, and a recently announced deal between TikTok and Oracle is now shrouded in uncertainty. Kobre & Kim’s Wade Weems, a Shanghai-based former U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division prosecutor, offers his thoughts on the deal in Politico.

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Publications September 18, 2020

Wade Weems, Chang Liu and Nan Wang on U.S. Enforcement Risks to Wealthy Chinese Individuals

As the case of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou demonstrates, Chinese high-net-worth individuals can easily become targets of U.S. criminal charges and U.S. civil and regulatory penalties based on alleged economic crimes, even if they never step foot on U.S. soil. Kobre & Kim’s Wade Weems, Chang Liu and Nan Wang walk through the risks and offer some mitigation strategies in an article in China Banking News.

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Events September 18, 2020

William McGovern Joins Virtual Panel to Discuss the Role of Whistleblowers in the U.S.

Whistleblowers are behind virtually every major fraud investigation in the United States, but are whistleblowers a force for good, or a source of trouble? Kobre & Kim’s William McGovern joins a Wake Forest University Center for the Study of Capitalism virtual panel to discuss on September 22, 1pm EDT.

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Publications September 18, 2020

Wade Weems Analyzes Herbalife FCPA Settlement with Anti-Corruption Report

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. has settled with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) after a years-long investigation into Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations in China. Kobre & Kim’s Wade Weems, a Shanghai-based former DOJ prosecutor, analyzed the settlement with the Anti-Corruption Report.

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Publications September 18, 2020

John Han, Evelyn Sheehan and Wade Weems on the Risks of Wealthy Hong Kong Individuals’ Moving Assets Abroad

China’s enactment of the Hong Kong national security law, as well as the U.S. response, have caused many Hong Kong-based ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) and family offices to consider moving assets out of the region. Kobre & Kim’s John Han, Evelyn Sheehan and Wade Weems analyzed the relevant risks and offered some advice in an article for Law.com International.

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