PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that the Department of Justice held its 30th annual Executive Office for United States
Attorneys (EOUSA) Director’s Awards Ceremony yesterday, during which 243 award recipients from 44 districts were recognized for their dedication to carrying out the mission of the Department of Justice. Among the award recipients were Arlo Devlin-Brown, Antonia M. Apps, John T. Zach, Sharon Cohen Levin, Christine Magdo, Micah Smith, Daniel Filor, Ellen London, and Carina H. Schoenberger from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District
of New York. Attorney General Eric Holder and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson presided at yesterday’s ceremony in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C.
In his prepared remarks to awardees, Attorney General Holder said, “Locally, nationally, and internationally, you represent the very best that this Department has to offer. Your work embodies our ongoing commitment - not merely to win cases, but to do justice; to protect our fellow citizens from crime, violence, and terrorism; to empower the most vulnerable among us; and to uphold the rule of law."
EOUSA Director Monty Wilkinson echoed those sentiments, saying to the recipients, “You have persevered, and remained focused and motivated - achieving remarkable results in work that makes a difference in the lives of citizens across our great country. The vast scope of your collective accomplishments is nothing short of exceptional."
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: "This year’s Director’s Award winners exemplify the extraordinary intellect, determination, and dedication that are the hallmarks of this Office. I congratulate them for this well-deserved recognition. Their commitment to justice serves the interests of the citizens of New York and the entire country."
Arlo Devlin-Brown, Antonia M. Apps, John T. Zach, Sharon Cohen Levin, Christine Magdo, and Micah Smith, working with Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agents Matthew Callahan, B.J. Kang, James Hinkle, Matt Thoresen, Ronan Byrne, and David Makol, were recognized for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team for their successful investigation and prosecution of the entities managing the hedge fund SAC Capital, in an insider trading scheme that was on a scale without known precedent in the hedge fund industry. The criminal charges against SAC Capital, and a related civil money laundering and forfeiture action, were based on insider trading committed by numerous SAC Capital employees (eight of whom have been individually prosecuted) that was, as charged, “made possible by institutional practices that encouraged the widespread solicitation and use of insider information." The SAC entity defendants pleaded guilty to all charges pursuant to a plea agreement, requiring the SAC Capital hedge fund to cease operating as investment advisers and to pay a historic financial penalty of $1.8 billion, the largest ever imposed in an insider trading prosecution.
Daniel Filor, Ellen London, and Carina H. Schoenberger were recognized for Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney - Civil for their work in representing the United States in the In re Ambac bankruptcy proceeding, which culminated in a substantial recovery for the government. The United States had challenged Ambac's accounting for its credit default swap losses during the financial crisis, which allowed Ambac to obtain a $700 million tax refund from the Internal Revenue Service. AUSAs Filor, London, and Schoenberger led efforts to recover $101.9 million in cash and secured a $1 billion reduction of Ambac's net operating losses.
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
