As a former supervisor at a United States Attorney’s Office and former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, I serve as lead trial counsel on complex and serious criminal cases, investigations and financial regulatory matters in U.S. District Courts throughout the United States, in State Courts in New York and New Jersey, and in other countries. I have represented nationals of other countries charged with spying against the United States and with violating Iranian sanctions. Generally, I handle high-stakes criminal cases involving securities, mail, wire, insurance and bankruptcy fraud, money laundering, construction and labor union matters, foreign corrupt practices act violations, racketeering and enterprise corruption, international arms dealing, anti-trust, bribery, kickbacks and criminal tax investigations; specializing in sensitive and high profile matters, including United States Congressional investigations. I also represent companies and individuals in Securities and Exchange Commission and FINRA enforcement proceedings, internal corporate investigations and grand jury matters. My practice has also included the representation of select clients charged with offenses such as murder, firearms possession, or other similar matters. Finally, I have an active international criminal practice, working with local counsel on matters charged by the governments of Italy, Switzerland, Romania, Bulgaria and Kyrgyzstan as well as investigations in other countries.
My Story
I serve as lead counsel on high-stakes criminal cases, and have worked on some groundbreaking matters.
Contact
Prior Employment
United States Attorney’s Office, District of N.J. February 1998 – July 2006
Chief of Violent Crime Unit – supervised AUSAs in investigations into murder, money laundering, conspiracy, extortion, drug trafficking and other offenses committed by transnational criminal organizations;
Organized Crime Strike Force – prosecuted organized crime and corruption in the professional boxing industry, convicted high level members of American mafia as well as hit men for Sicilian mafia for multiple murders as part of RICO enterprise;
Supervised long-term grand jury investigations utilizing wiretaps, top echelon informants and other sophisticated techniques;
Served extensively in the Terrorism Command Post investigating the events of the September 11, 2001 attack; received “top secret” security clearance regarding terrorism investigations;
Nationally recognized expert in sophisticated criminal prosecutions and the RICO statute; have lectured extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad, and have written and published on these topics;
Won the Director’s Award for Outstanding Performance as an Assistant U.S. Attorney as well as four FBI Outstanding Achievement Awards for successful prosecutions in difficult and complex matters.
Law Office of Marc. A. Agnifilo, New York, New York 1994-1998
Successfully litigated state and federal criminal and civil cases; drafted state appellate briefs and U.S. Supreme Court certiorari petitions. Won a full acquittal in a sweeping OCCA, extortion, bribery case brought against Union Officials.
New York County District Attorney’s Office, 1990-1994
Assistant District Attorney, trial division
Prosecuted, investigated and litigated hundreds of criminal cases, presented over one hundred cases to the Grand Jury and tried dozens of cases to verdict.
Awards
U.S. Department of Justice, Director’s Award For Outstanding Performance As An Assistant United States Attorney, 2002
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Outstanding Achievement Award, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Jersey City Police Department, Outstanding Service Award, 2005, 2002, 1999
U.S. Department of Justice, Director’s Award Nominee, 2004
Writing
Defense Perspectives On Cooperating Witnesses, presented to N.Y. County D.A.’s Office, “Advanced Trial Advocacy Program;” April 2011
Using RICO Against Organized Financial Crime Groups, presented to national law enforcement association, July 2010
Criminal and Civil Use of the RICO Statute, outline accompanying lecture broadcast on “Lawline”
Prosecuting Violent Gangs under the “Enterprise Theory” of Investigation, United States Attorney Bulletin, May 2006
Report to the Deputy Attorney General of the United States on the State of Gangs, Gang Violence and Prosecution Measures in the District of New Jersey – presented on July 31, 2005
Gangs of New Jersey – An Assessment of the Current Situation – presented at the United States Attorney’s Office Gang Symposium in May of 2004
How to Prosecute a Group of Bad Guys – Innovative Uses of the RICO and CCE Statutes, presented to the Home Office of the United Kingdom at the U.K. Annual Law Enforcement Gang convention of 2003
The Fourth Amendment and “Street Encounters”, presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, 2003
Actually Understanding the Bail Reform Act, presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, 2003
How To Take a Statement from a Defendant, presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, 2002
Lectures and Presentations
Frequent lecturer to local, state, federal and foreign governments, as well as educational and law enforcement institutions on a variety of subjects. Notable presentations include the following:
N.Y. County D.A. “Advanced Trial Advocacy Program, April 2015 – Trial practice regarding cooperating witnesses;
New York County Lawyer’s Association, October 2011 – Attorney Ethics in White Collar Criminal Investigations;
New York State Bar Association, September 2011 – Federal Criminal Practice
N.Y. County D.A. “Advanced Trial Advocacy Program, April 2011 – Defense Perspectives On Cooperating Witnesses
Media
MSNBC and BNN – repeated on air commentary on the insider trading trial of Raj Rajaratnam; multiple appearances;
National Public Radio (NPR), March 2008 – “Weekend Edition.” Discussed firearms laws in the context of the ability of violent criminal organization to secure firearms through illegal means
The History Channel, February 2008 – “Gangland” series. On camera discussion on the history of the Bloods street gang.
An Omar Broadway Film, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2008. Nominated Best Documentary Film at the festival. On camera discussion of the Bloods in the U.S. prison system.