Charles F. Connolly
Partner
Areas of Focus
- White Collar Defense & Government Investigations
- Antibribery/Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- Anti-Money Laundering
- Securities Enforcement & Litigation
- State Attorneys General
- Investment Funds Litigation
- Inspector General Investigations
- Disputes & Investigations
- World Bank & International Financial Institutions
- Sovereign & Government Investors
- Technology
- Digital Assets, Cryptocurrency & Blockchain
- Consumer Protection
- Private Capital
- Extensive experience conducting sensitive internal investigations on behalf of companies as well as high-stakes government investigations and related litigation.
- Has led multiple internal investigations, including on behalf of a Fortune 100 retailer around the globe and is sensitive to the cultural and operational differences among the businesses across jurisdictions providing a nuanced understanding both of the retail sector and the legal environment in which retail clients operate.
- Defends against allegations of violations of federal and state regulations related to financial crimes.
- Served as chief of the Financial Crimes & Public Corruption Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Chuck is co-head of Akin’s white collar defense and global investigations practice group. He focuses on white collar criminal defense and related internal investigations and civil litigation. Chuck represents clients in a wide range of matters related to federal and state criminal and regulatory enforcement, including:
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
- Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).
- Anti-money laundering (AML) statutes.
- Federal procurement.
- Public corruption.
- Sanctions regimes.
- False Claims Act (FCA).
Prior to joining Akin, Chuck served for more than a decade as a federal prosecutor in white-collar, complex fraud cases in the Eastern District of Virginia. There, he not only learned how to investigate and build complex financial cases—including those involving accounting fraud, bank fraud, FCPA and corporate fraud—but also tried two of the largest corporate fraud cases in the history of the district.
Chuck brings that experience and his understanding of how prosecutors evaluate potential cases into his representation of individuals and companies facing scrutiny from federal authorities in the United States. Chuck is described by Chambers as an "exceptional and seasoned attorney who understands the dynamics of dealing with the government," and as "a strong advocate [who] … is very good at marshaling the facts." Chuck has conducted investigations in multiple domestic jurisdictions, as well as in Latin America, China, Europe and the Middle East. He is commercially pragmatic and works tirelessly to achieve positive results for his clients.
- Conducted numerous investigations for a Fortune 100 retailer including matters related to its e-commerce platform; alleged price gouging following COVID-19; potential accounting issues; allegations of financial irregularities and alleged FCPA/antibribery issues.
- Represented an international law firm and one of its former partners in connection with a DOJ investigation related to the Panama Papers.
- Successfully represented a publicly traded global nutrition company in a long running investigation into alleged FCPA violations by its wholly owned China-based subsidiary, securing a complete declination by both the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Served as lead counsel to a monitor of a European headquartered global financial institution and advised on legal and strategic issues related to the evaluation of AML, BSA and sanctions systems, procedures, compliance and controls. Assisted in the drafting of extensive monitor reports and engaged in frequent meetings and presentations to the relevant law enforcement agency.
- Counseled a group of large, institutional, private equity investors in a matter in which the general partner improperly removed more than $20 million in fees. Guided the clients through federal court litigation, taking an aggressive litigation posture. After deposing the lead plaintiff and lead expert witness—who withdrew his expert opinion during the deposition—achieved a settlement of 98 cents on the dollar from the general partner.
“He is incredibly creative and hard-working. He does a wonderful job shepherding clients through difficult times.”
Chambers USA, 2023
EducationJ.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, cum laude, 1995
B.A., Johns Hopkins University, with honors, 1991
J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, cum laude, 1995
B.A., Johns Hopkins University, with honors, 1991
Bar AdmissionsDistrict of Columbia
Maryland
Virginia
District of Columbia
Maryland
Virginia
- Chambers USA, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations, 2018-2024.
- Who's Who Legal: Investigations (multiple years, including 2022 and 2023).
- The Legal 500 US, Corporate Investigations, White Collar Criminal Defense, 2019-2024.
- Washingtonian Magazine, Top Lawyer, White Collar Criminal Defense, 2018 and 2020.
- Ethisphere Magazine, Attorneys Who Matter, 2013.
- Department of Justice, Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, 2013.
- Department of Justice, Assistant Attorney General’s Exceptional Service Award, 2011.
- Chief, Financial Crimes & Public Corruption Unit, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
- Deputy Chief, Financial Crimes & Public Corruption Unit, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
- Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
- Acting Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General.
- Counselor, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General.
- Panelist, “The Monaco Memo and What That Means for Individual Liability in Corporate Crimes,” at the Tax Enforcement Without Borders Conference, hosted by the Bahamas Financial Services Board, February 16, 2023.
- Moderator, “Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture: Seizing Everything “involved in” Crimes,” American Bar Association 37th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, San Francisco, California, March 2, 2022.
- Panelist, “Individual Criminal Exposure in Financial Services Matters,” Financial Crimes Enforcement, Compliance and Risk Mitigation Conference, Nassau, Bahamas, February 19, 2020.
- Panelist, “Litigation Forum: Keeping Your Head When Everyone Around you is Losing Theirs,” Association of Corporate Counsel National Capital Region, Washington, D.C., September 7, 2017.
- Panelist, “The Yates Memo: A Lawyer’s Professional Responsibility,” FDLI Webinar, December 4, 2016.
- Co-chair, “Compliance Challenges: What Keeps In-House Counsel Up at Night,” Corporate Counsel Symposium, New York, December 2, 2015.
- Moderator, “Taking the Pulse of Regulators: A Discussion of Regulatory Themes in the U.S. and Overseas,” Akin Annual New York Investment Funds Conference, New York, October 13, 2015.
- Panelist, “As the World (Bank) Turns: Compliance and Enforcement. Principles in World Contracting,” Akin Seminar, New York, October 1, 2015.