Overview
Adam Kaufmann specializes in helping clients navigate crises and mitigate their exposure to reputational, regulatory and criminal risk. Mr. Kaufmann handles complex white-collar criminal matters, internal investigations, and financial crimes compliance issues with a particular emphasis on sanctions, as well as international commercial litigation and asset recovery.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Kaufmann served as a prosecutor for 18 years at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, finishing his tenure as Executive Assistant District Attorney and Chief of the Investigation Division. In that capacity, he supervised all investigations and prosecutions of white-collar crime, financial crime, political corruption, organized crime, cybercrime, money laundering, sanctions evasion, and terror finance. Mr. Kaufmann supervised the first prosecutions under New York State’s terrorism statute, prosecuting two domestic “lone-wolf” terrorists plotting to blow up churches and synagogues in New York City and to kill servicemen returning from combat tours in Afghanistan. In addition, Mr. Kaufmann advised the District Attorney on matters of policy, media communications, and administration, and served on the executive hiring panel. During his 18-year career at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Kaufmann investigated and tried numerous felony offenses, including violent crime, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, and domestic abuse.
Before becoming Executive Assistant District Attorney, Mr. Kaufmann served under District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau as Chief of the office’s International Financial Crimes Bureau. In that position, Mr. Kaufmann supervised numerous international criminal investigations, including the investigations into sanctions evasion by major banks such as Lloyds, Credit Suisse, ING, and BNP Paribas that led to forfeitures totaling billions of dollars; the indictment of the Iranian State-owned shipping line IRISL and its front companies for sanctions violations; and the investigation and indictment of the former mayor and governor of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Paolo Maluf. Mr. Kaufmann has testified twice before the United States Senate as an expert on issues of financial crime, money laundering, and sanctions evasion, and is a regular speaker at international conferences on economic crime.
Recent matters handled by Mr. Kaufmann include representation of South American clients accused of corruption-related misconduct and money laundering, representation of an unindicted co-conspirator in the FIFA case, representation of a company accused of corruption in the Petrobras/Lavajato investigation, representation of individuals and corporations targeted in federal criminal cases, and representation of a number of high-profile individuals in civil, criminal, and reputational matters.
Professional Affiliations
- 2013 District Attorney’s Association of New York, White Collar Crime Task Force
- 2012 New York City Bar Association, White Collar Crime Committee
Experience
- Executive Assistant District Attorney, Manhattan District Attorney’s Office
Representative Matters
White-Collar Criminal
- Represented foreign businessmen and corporate entities in corruption inquiries by federal prosecutors and U.S. Senate
- Conducted investigation into tax fraud and securities violations by U.S. hedge fund
- Represented construction executive in federal over-invoicing investigation
- Represented suspect in Ponzi scheme investigation
- Represented unindicted co-conspirator in FIFA case
Financial Crimes Compliance
- Advised UK global media company on compliance with U.S. sanctions law and recovered blocked assets in their behalf
- Represented U.S. company in internal investigation and OFAC self-disclosure for violations of Iranian sanctions
Commercial Litigation
- Represented offshore hedge fund in civil clawback suit to recover assets lost from Ponzi scheme and in parallel federal criminal investigation - obtained substantial recovery for fund
- Represented whistle-blowers bringing information to U.S. law enforcement authorities
- Successfully negotiated pre-litigation settlement to investment contract dispute between two high profile parties in Manhattan, collecting 100% of client’s demand
Publications & Events
- Four Things Businesses Should Know About the Agreement with IranJuly 2015
- October 2014
- June 27, 2014
- July 3, 2013
- April 24, 2013
- April 9, 2013
- "Criminal Prosecution Under New York State's Martin Act"LJN Business Crimes Bulletin, Vol. 18, Number 1September 2010
In the News
- Com minha experiência como promotor em Nova York, acompanho a Lava-Jato com otimismo. Agora, falta viabilizar acordos de leniência que punam empresas corruptas, mas não as liquidemPágina Aberta, May 17, 2017
- New York Law Journal, September 26, 2016
- "The degree of cooperation between U.S. and Latin American authorities is at an all-time high,” says attorney Adam Kaufmann.Inside Counsel, August 5, 2016
- Law360, August 4, 2016
Financial institutions should worry about the anti-money laundering (AML) issues that the UK Bribery Act (2010) gives rise to despite the law having been in effect for just over five years, lawyers said. The danger was thinking that because the law had existed since 2011, that compliance and legal staff have it figured out, they said.
Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence, August 3, 2016- KYC360, May 3, 2016
- Adam S. Kaufmann lauded as "high-powered attorney and crisis manager," Vanity Fair, February 16, 2016
- Law360, August 11, 2015
- Expansion of U.S. Economic Sanctions Poses New Risks for InsurersInsurance Day, December 2014
- A Cautionary Tale for Non-U.S. Private Equity: Exposure to the Extraterritorial Reach of U.S. Sanctions,” Private Fund Dispute ResolutionPrivate Equity International (PEI), December 2014
- Former Manhattan prosecutor examines grand jury’s likely analysis in choosing not to indict in the death of Eric GarnerNY Daily News, December 4, 2014
- The New York Times, June 30, 2014
- La Nacion, June 4, 2013
- Expansion of US Economic Sanctions May Present Risks for Non-US InsurersInsurance Day, April 18, 2013
Mr. Francos is featured in the article and is admitted to practice only in Buenos Aires; not engaged in the practice of law in the District of Columbia.
AUNO, March 2013- Juristas norteamericanos y chilenos analizaron avances en materia de regulación del lavado de dinero
Mr. Francos is admitted to practice only in Buenos Aires; not engaged in the practice of law in the District of Columbia.
March 25, 2013 - March 23, 2013
- Sanctions Settlements Prompt Changes to Transaction MonitoringACAMS moneylaundering.com, March 5, 2013
- Iranian's check raises 70 million questionsThe arrest of an Iranian official in Germany provided indications that Venezuelan banks may be helping Iran evade economic sanctions.El Nuevo Herald, 2013
- EE.UU. investiga a varias entidades de Caracas sospechosas de romper el cercoFebruary 10, 2013
- ACAMS moneylaundering.com, January 29, 2013
Practice Areas
- Complex Financial Disputes
- Delitos Financieros y Compliance
- Disputas Financieras Complejas
- Financial Crimes Compliance
- Internal Investigations
- International Asset Tracing and Investigation
- International Disputes
- International Insolvency
- Latin America
- Litigation
- Professional and Business Ethics
- White Collar Defense
Education
- American University, Washington College of Law (J.D. 1994)
- Cornell (B.A. 1987)
Bar Admissions
- New York