Federal White Collar Criminal Defense Lawyers In New York And Nationwide

Last updated on August 26, 2026

Federal charges can carry severe penalties, including substantial fines and years in federal prison. When you are facing this kind of pressure, you need a federal criminal defense attorney who understands how to examine even the most complex cases and fight for your future.

At Sapone & Petrillo, LLP, attorney Edward V. Sapone leads the firm’s federal criminal defense work. He brings a focused, detail-driven approach to every case and works to build a strong, individualized defense strategy for each client he represents.

Attorney Sapone represents clients throughout New York State from our firm’s New York City and Long Island offices. For federal matters, he also works with clients across the country, including in New Jersey, Florida, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Colorado and Puerto Rico, subject to applicable attorney licensing and pro hac vice requirements.

Defending Federal White Collar Cases In New York And Beyond

Federal cases are not like ordinary criminal matters. They often involve years-long investigations by multiple federal agencies with massive volumes of documents and financial records. Parallel civil or regulatory proceedings can even unfold at the same time as the criminal case. The stakes are higher, the resources on the government’s side are greater, and the margin for error is smaller. You need an attorney who has worked inside this system and knows how it operates.

Attorney Sapone has spent more than 20 years trying federal cases as lead trial counsel. Before entering private practice, he gained firsthand knowledge of how federal prosecutors build their cases – experience he now uses to defend his clients. He has secured acquittals for clients facing some of the most serious federal charges, including multimillion-dollar fraud, large-scale narcotics trafficking, kidnapping, hostage-taking, alien smuggling and complex conspiracies.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Sapone has handled some of the most high-profile and complex federal matters in recent memory. He represented a target of the federal NXIVM sex cult prosecution in the Eastern District of New York and prevented prosecution entirely. In one of the largest gang prosecutions in New York City history – a case involving 120 defendants arrested by 700 agents – he represented a lead defendant who faced a mandatory life sentence on charges that included murder, RICO, and narcotics and firearms offenses carrying a 45-year mandatory minimum and achieved a sentence of only 14 years.

His federal practice covers the full life of a case — from the earliest stages of a government investigation, through trial and into sentencing and appeals coordination. He understands that how a case is handled at the investigation stage can determine everything that follows, and he works to get involved as early as possible on behalf of his clients.

Federal White Collar Charges We Defend

Federal white collar cases cover a wide range of offenses, and each one carries serious consequences. Our lead attorney knows how to defend clients facing charges that include:

Securities-related crimes
Embezzlement
Money laundering
All types of criminal fraud charges
Crimes involving gambling or Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) violations
Tax evasion
Financial crimes and federal forfeiture matters

No matter which charges you face, attorney Sapone will examine every detail of your case and work to build a strong defense for you.

What Are The Steps Involved In A Federal Criminal Trial?

Every case is different, and some require more or fewer steps than what we discuss below. But generally, here is how a trial in federal court proceeds:

Investigation: Agents from the FBI, ATF, DEA or other federal law enforcement departments can obtain search warrants and use other tools to investigate you if they suspect you of breaking a federal law. This part of the process can be slow, and it can be months before you find out if you will be charged or not. Or agents could arrest you before launching a detailed investigation.
Charging: After receiving the results of the investigation and interviews with people involved in the alleged crime, it is up to the prosecutor to decide whether to present a case to a federal grand jury, a group of citizens who must decide whether there is enough evidence against the accused person to charge them with a crime. As the accused, you will receive notice that you are accused of a crime.
Initial hearing/arraignment: After being charged, you will be brought before a magistrate judge for an initial hearing. The purpose of this hearing is to inform the defendant of the charges against them, their rights and whether they need help arranging for a defense attorney. The magistrate also decides whether to set bail or order you held in jail until trial.
Discovery: Before there can be a fair trial, your attorney needs access to the prosecution’s evidence. Requesting copies of documents and physical evidence is called discovery. A prosecutor who withholds evidence included in a discovery request could face sanctions from the judge.
Plea bargaining: A big part of a federal defense lawyer’s job is to see if the prosecution is open to a possible plea bargain and negotiate in the client’s best interests. It is often possible to get the charges against you reduced, resulting in a shorter or less harsh sentence in exchange for a guilty or no-contest plea.
Preliminary hearing: Before going to trial, there may be a preliminary hearing for the prosecution to try to show it has enough evidence against you for the charges to proceed. As the defendant, you have the right to waive this hearing. Your attorney can advise you whether you should waive it or not.
Pretrial motions: In the weeks and months before your trial date, both your attorney and the prosecutor will probably file several motions with the court to try to assert your rights. The judge will decide whether to accept or reject each motion.
Trial: Trial will begin with jury selection. Once the jury is empaneled, the trial itself begins. Each attorney makes an opening statement to the jury, explaining their version of what happened. Then, the sides present witnesses and evidence. Once each side rests its case, they make closing arguments summarizing their cases. The jury then deliberates on each charge. If they agree that you are guilty or not guilty, they will present their verdict. Otherwise, if the jury cannot reach a consensus, the judge might declare a mistrial.
Post-trial motions: Your attorney can also file motions if you are found guilty. Post-trial motions include a motion for a new trial, a motion for judgment of acquittal and a motion to vacate, set aside or correct a sentence. These apply in cases where errors made by the judge or jury make the guilty verdict unjust.
Sentencing: Assuming any motion to set aside the verdict fails, the next step is to determine your sentence. Each federal crime has its own sentence guidelines set by Congress and the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Beyond that, the sentence is up to the judge, based on mitigating and aggravating factors argued by your lawyer and the prosecutor. Such factors often include the nature of the crime, the defendant’s prior record and whether they have expressed remorse.
Appeal: An appeal is not a new trial but a chance to show a higher court that the judge made errors during trial that violated your right to a fair trial. If the appellate court agrees, it might reverse your sentence, send the case back for a new trial or alter your sentence. Criminal appeals law is different from criminal defense. Most of the time, you will need to hire a new attorney who practices appellate law.

Federal Criminal Charge FAQ

Knowing the answers to these frequently asked questions can help you prepare for your case. Below are a few that we hear from our clients.

Can I hire a New York federal defense lawyer if my case is filed in another state?

Yes, in most situations you can. Federal courts across the country allow attorneys who are not locally licensed to appear in their jurisdiction through a process called pro hac vice admission. This means an attorney licensed in one state can request permission from a federal court in another state to represent a client in a specific case. Most federal courts grant these requests routinely, though some require the involvement of a locally licensed attorney, known as local counsel, who assists with court-specific procedures and filings.

Does contact from the FBI or IRS mean I will be charged?

Not necessarily, but it does mean you should take the situation seriously. When federal agents reach out, whether through a phone call, a visit to your home or workplace, or a formal letter, it typically signals that you are either a subject or a witness in an ongoing federal investigation. What matters most at this stage is how you respond. Anything you say to federal agents can be used against you later, even if you believe you have done nothing wrong and are simply trying to cooperate. If you have been contacted by a federal agency, consulting with a federal defense attorney before you respond is the most important step you can take.

What is a federal crime?

Federal crimes are the actions of individuals that violate federal laws. Federal agencies also investigate these crimes, depending on the type of crime someone is accused of committing and the subsequent charges brought in federal courts. Like state crimes, federal crimes can also have distinct levels of severity, like felonies and misdemeanors.

What is the difference between a federal target and a subject?

A subject is someone whose conduct falls within the scope of a grand jury’s investigation. This means prosecutors have taken notice of your actions but have not yet concluded that a provable crime was committed. They are still gathering information and building a clearer picture of what happened.

A target, on the other hand, is someone the prosecutor or grand jury has substantial evidence linking to the commission of a crime. Being identified as a target is a serious development. It is the DOJ’s way of signaling that your criminal exposure is real and significant.

These designations are not fixed. A subject can become a target as an investigation develops and new evidence comes to light. No matter where you currently stand, your designation alone does not tell the whole story. What it actually means for you depends entirely on the specific facts and circumstances of your case.

Can a federal white collar case involve both criminal and civil proceedings?

Yes, and it is not unusual. A single set of facts can trigger more than one type of legal proceeding at the same time. While the Department of Justice pursues criminal charges, a separate agency, such as the SEC or the IRS, may simultaneously bring its own civil or administrative action based on the same conduct.

Not every federal white collar case unfolds this way, but when parallel proceedings do develop, the complexity of your situation increases considerably.

At Your Side When You Face Federal Charges

Federal charges can move quickly, and the decisions you make early in the process can shape everything that follows. If you are facing a federal white collar investigation or indictment, we are ready to listen to your situation and help you understand your options.

Contact our New York office online or call us at 646-844-3445 to speak to attorney Sapone today.