Andrew Boutros on Tackling Complex Fraud and Cybercrime Cases, and Dispelling Myths in the Classroom
Q&A with AUSA Andrew S. Boutros
You have been a federal criminal prosecutor in Chicago for almost eight years, and before that you were in private practice with a prominent firm in Washington, DC, representing corporations and executives as a whitecollar defense attorney, FCPA practitioner, compliance counselor, and civil litigator. Why did you decide to become a prosecutor?
I never had the extraordinary honor of wearing the military uniform, but as a first-generation American, I had a strong desire to serve this great country, give back, and at some level make a difference. After becoming a lawyer, and as I handled high-profile white-collar cases in private practice, I realized I could use my legal training, skills, and passion to represent the United States as a prosecutor. It became something I very much wanted to do, and I especially wanted to investigate and prosecute complex, sophisticated white-collar cases. But, as luck would have it, the timing was a bit off; I applied to become a prosecutor during a hiring freeze. Notwithstanding that, I was really committed to serving and willing to move almost anywhere the opportunity would take me. When the freeze lifted, then-Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald was the first to make me an offer; I gratefully accepted, and have remained in Chicago as a prosecutor since.
Since becoming a prosecutor, you have led what the national press and legal commentators have described as some of the largest and most complex international fraud and cybercrime investigations and prosecutions. How have you successfully investigated and prosecuted such high-profile cases?
Winston Churchill famously told students of the Harrow School in 1941, “Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.” My parents raised me to believe that one person can make a difference. As a prosecutor, this translates into a belief that one should not easily give up on a worthy case—particularly one with identifiable victims—just because it may be tough, prolonged, untraditional, or present an uncertain outcome. I like to think that this mindset has served me well. And it of course helps when the federal agents with whom you work as part of a team are among the best in the business. For example, some of my most significant cases have been with phenomenal federal agents of the Department of Homeland Security in Chicago. Together we’ve twice successfully prosecuted what are billed as the largest criminal trade fraud cases in U.S. history, as well as the largest drug trafficker in the world on “Silk Road,” which has been described as among the most sophisticated dark websites of its time. I am very proud of these successful prosecutions, will always be grateful for the comradery and selflessness of the agents I had the privilege of working alongside, and will always be gratified by the positive difference these prosecutions have made to so many.
Read more at The ALI Reporter