Recently, the Supreme Court of the United States tossed the convictions of two defendants found guilty of public corruption charges during former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s term. The opinions, Ciminelli v. United States and...more
The Supreme Court yet again unanimously overturned bribery convictions based on prosecutorial overreach via the honest services wire fraud statute. The steady stream of reversals fundamentally challenges the DOJ’s approach in...more
On May 11, 2023, in Percoco v. United States, 598 U.S. ___ (2023), the U.S. Supreme Court once again reined in an expansive public corruption prosecution brought by the Department of Justice by overturning a wire fraud...more
Can a private citizen who holds no elected office or government position owe a fiduciary duty to the general public such that he can be convicted of honest services fraud? On June 30, 2022, the Supreme Court granted...more
On Tuesday, former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver received a welcomed victory, albeit partial, in the Government’s long running prosecution accusing him of fraud, extortion and money laundering....more
On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the conviction of former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell, narrowing the definition of an “official act” in federal corruption cases. McDonnell v. United States, No. 15-474 (2016)....more