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
