Overview
Adam Kaufmann practices in the areas of white-collar crime, asset tracing and recovery, investigations, complex commercial fraud, and judgment enforcement. He has handled civil, criminal, and investigative matters on behalf of U.S. and international clients, both individuals and companies, throughout the world. These include leading high-profile multi-jurisdictional criminal matters and complex civil matters both in the United States and through coordinated legal strategies in multiple jurisdictions. Mr. Kaufmann is a recognized expert in international criminal law, corruption, and fraud, and has lectured on these topics in jurisdictions around the world and has testified twice before the United States Senate. In 2018, Mr. Kaufmann was selected as an expert in Business Crimes Law by Global Expert.
High-profile clients facing exposure to reputational, regulatory and criminal risk have turned to Mr. Kaufmann for assistance. In criminal matters, Mr. Kaufmann has recently represented a Manhattan art dealer accused of tax fraud, a NY based company implicated in a bribery scandal, and a number of Brazilian companies and individuals implicated in Lavo Jato/Petrobras. He has also represented U.S. citizens and foreign nationals charged with FCPA and money laundering conspiracies by the U.S. Department of Justice. Many of those matters involve the coordination of legal defenses in multiple jurisdictions working closely with foreign counsel.
In civil matters, Mr. Kaufmann has represented fraud victims in their efforts to identify, trace, and recover stolen assets, and has brought actions seeking discovery in support of asset recovery and judgment enforcement in the United States. He negotiated a favorable settlement for a civil client in a clawback action brought by the court-appointed receiver for an onshore-offshore hedge fund involved in a multi-hundred million dollar Ponzi scheme. In another matter, his team filed lawsuits in New York against foreign banks for their involvement in aiding and abetting the theft and disposition of assets. He frequently brings discovery actions in the United States on behalf of foreign clients seeking to trace assets. Mr. Kaufmann’s expertise was recognized in 2016-18 when he was selected to Who’s Who Legal for Asset Recovery.
Mr. Kaufmann gained deep experience in handling international matters and tracing money as a former Manhattan prosecutor. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Kaufmann served as a prosecutor for 18 years at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, specializing in international financial crime. As head of the International Financial Crime Bureau under District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, he supervised and worked on numerous international money laundering and corruption matters, including the investigation that led to the indictment of Paulo Maluf of Brazil and the seizure of his assets in the Isle of Jersey, the seizure and forfeiture of tens of millions of dollars in black market funds from Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay, the indictment of the Iranian Shipping Line (IRISL), the investigation of the Alavi Foundation in New York that led to the forfeiture of a Manhattan skyscraper, and the prosecution of foreign banks for laundering billions of dollars on behalf of Iranian banks in violation of global sanctions. In the last matter, Mr. Kaufmann and his colleagues interrupted financial networks of sanctions violations at dozens of global banks, leading to forfeitures totaling billions of dollars. In 2007, the Bureau he led received a commendation from the Central Intelligence Agency for “Valuable Support to the National Security of the United States” for their work on Iran, as well as the United States Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service.
Mr. Kaufmann finished his tenure in public service 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.
His work on international criminal cases provides Mr. Kaufmann with deep experience and extensive contacts throughout the world. His experience allows him to understand how money moves around the globe and enables him to take apart complex fraud schemes to trace funds and recover assets.
Professional Affiliations
- 2016-17 Who’s Who Legal: Asset Recovery
- 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 numerous 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 taxpayer in criminal tax evasion case with New York County DA
- Represented construction executive in federal over-invoicing investigation
- Represented suspect in international Ponzi scheme investigation
- Represented sports executives in FIFA investigation
- Represented major NY engineering firm in corruption investigation
Asset Recovery/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 client in Latin America in global asset recovery matter and recovered substantial funds
- 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
Financial Crimes Compliance
- Advised UK global media company on compliance with U.S. sanctions law and recovered blocked assets on their behalf
- Represented U.S. companies in OFAC investigations, including conducting internal investigations
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
« Au cours de l’enquête, BNP Paribas ne s’est pas révélée très coopérative, beaucoup moins que d’autres banques », se souvient le procureur en chef de la division des enquêtes financières, Adam Kaufmann.
Le Monde, October 4, 2018“All of this smells like a crime,” said Adam S. Kaufmann, a former chief of investigations for the Manhattan district attorney’s office who is now a partner at the law firm Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss. While the statute of limitations has long since lapsed, Mr. Kaufmann said the Trumps’ use of All County would have warranted investigation for defrauding tenants, tax fraud and filing false documents."
The New York Times, October 2, 2018Woodsford Litigation Funding, one of the leading global third party funders, has announced a funding facility agreement with Lewis Baach which ensures the firm can offer clients an expedited, one-stop arrangement for the financing of high value litigation and arbitration.
August 16, 2017- 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
Education
- American University, Washington College of Law (J.D. 1994)
- Cornell (B.A. 1987)
Bar Admissions
- New York