Michael R. Sherwin provides ultra-high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients strategic advice on international government investigations throughout the Americas, Middle East and Asia. Mr. Sherwin has extensive experience working with prosecutors, investigators and intelligence agencies from these regions on collaborative, long-term corporate fraud, commodities and tax fraud, digital currency and national security matters.
Before joining Kobre & Kim, Mr. Sherwin most recently served as the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, where he supervised the largest federal prosecutor office in the United States. Under Mr. Sherwin's leadership, his office brought several historic cases, including the largest seizure of illicit Iranian petroleum in U.S. history; the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) first seizure of illicit digital currency linked to al-Qaida and other designated terrorist groups; and the filing of criminal charges against Libyan national Abu Agela Masud, the alleged bomb-maker who constructed the explosive device that destroyed Pan AM 103 in December 1988, killing 270 people over Lockerbie, Scotland. During Mr. Sherwin's last assignment for the DOJ, he served as the chief prosecutor for all criminal cases related to the Washington, DC Capitol riots of January 6, 2021 – under his supervision, more than 400 criminal cases were filed and over 500 search warrants were executed throughout the United States in less than 10 weeks.
Prior to becoming Acting U.S. Attorney, Mr. Sherwin was an Associate Deputy Attorney General, where he advised Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen on national security matters. During that time, Mr. Sherwin worked closely with the National Security Council and provided DOJ leadership advice on sensitive counterintelligence and counterterrorism matters, to include work on various complicated Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) cases.
Before Mr. Sherwin's duties in Washington, DC, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Florida for 12 years. From 2008 to 2010, Mr. Sherwin did extensive work in South and Central America, where he prosecuted numerous drug cartels and kingpins on wide-scale money laundering and narcotics/weapons trafficking cases. During that time Mr. Sherwin was the lead prosecutor in the conviction of Sigifredo Maya, a top member of the Medellín Cartel and close associate of Pablo Escobar and Carlos Lehder.
For six years, until 2018, Mr. Sherwin prosecuted securities and commodities fraud, tax fraud and multiple Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) cases in the Economic Crimes Section. In 2016, he became Chief of the Health Care Fraud Section, supervising the largest Health Care Fraud Strike Force in the United States. Under Mr. Sherwin's leadership, his section led the nation in all federal health care fraud indictments, trials and asset forfeitures from 2016-2018.
In 2018, Mr. Sherwin joined the National Security Section, where he prosecuted counterintelligence and terrorism cases, specializing in economic espionage and state-sanctioned theft of trade secrets and assets/digital currency.
In addition to his work in Miami, in 2011 Mr. Sherwin was chosen by Attorney General Eric Holder to serve a special detail for the U.S. Department of State in Bagram, Afghanistan, where he assisted the Afghanistan Attorney General's Office in more than 120 primary court terrorism trials and 250 appellate cases before a specially convened Afghan judicial tribunal. These cases focused on prosecuting top-tier Taliban and al-Qaida explosives engineers, suicide-bomb recruiters and terrorism financiers.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Sherwin was an officer in the United States Navy from 1999 to 2004, serving both afloat in the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea, and afoot throughout the Middle East and Europe.
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- New York
- Ohio
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Education
- University of Notre Dame, JD
- Ohio State University, BA
Clerkships
- Honorable Paul R. Matia, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
Accolades
- U.S. Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service (2021)
- Council of U.S. Inspectors General Complex Financial Prosecution Award (2017)
- Exceptional AUSA Service Award, National Association of Former US Attorneys (2017)
- Department of State, Exceptional Achievement Award, US Embassy, Kabul (2012)
- Exceptional Achievement Award, NATO – Afghanistan (2012)
- Joint Service Commendation Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster) (Operation Iraqi Freedom) (2003)
- Joint Service Commendation Medal (Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan) (2002)
- Navy and Marine Corp. Achievement Medal (Operation Southern Watch) (2000)
Select Engagements
- Michael Sherwin on Corporate Responses to Cyber-Intrusion Investigations at APEX Conference
- Kobre & Kim and Michael Kim Recognized in The Legal 500 USA
- Kobre & Kim, Michael Kim and Robin Rathmell Recognized in Latest Legal 500 USA Rankings
- Michael Sherwin Unpacks Law Enforcement’s Challenges When Seizing Digital Currency
- Kobre & Kim Placed in GIR 100 2021
- Former DOJ Prosecutor Michael Sherwin Discusses Move to Kobre & Kim with Law360
- How Israeli UHNWIs Can Prepare and Respond to Criminal Allegations from Western Enforcement Agencies
- African Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Can Protect Themselves from U.S. Authorities’ Increased Scrutiny
- How Chinese Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Can Protect Their Global Wealth from Seizure in a High-Tension World
- Korean Companies Should Prepare For Rising U.S.-Korea Parallel Antitrust Investigations
- Stopping the “Snowball Effect” of a Reputation Under Attack
- U.S. Sanctions Against Individuals in Greater China May Come Suddenly: How Overseas Advisors Can Protect Their Clients from Overreach
- Defensive and Counteroffensive Strategies in Delaware for Business Disputes that Turn Personal
- Mitigating Sanctions Risks For Individuals and Their Cyprus-Based Assets
- Preparing for Politically Motivated Criminal Enforcement Against Companies and Individuals in Asia
- Countering Bad-Faith Opponents' Efforts to Publicly Discredit High-Net-Worth Individuals
- New U.S. Rules For Investment Advisors Could Bring Aggressive Scrutiny on Non-U.S. Individuals
- Companies and Individuals in Greater China Can Protect Themselves from U.S. Sanctions Overreach
- Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Can Mitigate Two Hazards Lurking at Free Ports
- New U.S. Bribery Law Could Put Non-U.S. Officials Under Unwarranted Scrutiny
- Russian Litigants Can Still Access Critical Legal Tools in U.S. Courts
- Risk Rises for Korean Companies as U.S. Pursues More Aggressive Antitrust Enforcement
- How Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Should Respond When Their Cyprus-Based Assets Are Under Attack
- Global Companies Can Gain Advantage From Aggressive U.S. Antitrust Enforcement
- What Multinational Companies Should Know About Unprecedented Extraterritorial Activities by the South Korean Police
- Non-U.S. Companies Beware: U.S. Corporate Leniency Programs May Not Achieve Best Outcome
- Non-U.S. Companies Beware: New U.S. DOJ Guidelines May Apply
- New U.S. DOJ “Safe Harbor” Provisions May Not Be So Safe for Non-U.S. Companies
- Responding to U.S. DOJ Actions Against Latin American Individuals
- Two Ways the Art World Could Get Swept into the Sanctions Orbit
- How Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Can Mitigate Reputational Risks Arising From a Misinformation Campaign
- Mitigating Cyprus-Tied Shipping Companies' Exposure to Western Sanctions
Publications & Presentations
- Panelist, “The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act” (Florida Bar International Law Section, Miami, Florida) (March 2017)
- Panelist, “Hacking and IP Cybercrimes” (Cleveland Intellectual Law and Property Association, Cleveland, Ohio) (February 2017)
- Panelist, “The Perils of Search Warrants for Hospitals and Medical Offices in Complex Health Care Fraud Cases” (National Health Care Fraud Summit, Washington, D.C.) (September 2017)
News Mentions
- “Blunt Top Prosecutor on Capitol Riots, Michael Sherwin, May Stay in Under Biden,” Wall Street Journal (February 11, 2021) https://www.wsj.com/articles/blunt-top-prosecutor-on-capitol-riots-michael-sherwin-may-stay-on-under-biden-11613052000
- “Acting US Attorney Michael Sherwin and FBI Gives Update on Capitol Attack Charges,” PBS NewsHour (January 12, 2021) https://www.facebook.com/newshour/videos/watch-live-acting-us-attorney-michael-sherwin-and-fbi-give-update-on-capitol-att/1378940229114510/
- “DC Acting US Attorney Calls Scope of Capitol Investigation Unprecedented,” National Public Radio (January 10, 2021) https://www.npr.org/2021/01/10/955314373/d-c-s-acting-u-s-attorney-calls-scope-of-capitol-investigation-unprecedented
- “Acting US Attorney for Washington DC says ‘All Actors Being Investigated,’” Financial Times (January 7, 2021) https://www.ft.com/content/7cd64852-d079-4efd-8fa8-0e3e41586160
- “US Unseals Charges Against Suspect in 1998 Lockerbie Bombing,” New York Times (December 21, 2020) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/21/us/politics/lockerbie-bombing-suspect.html
- “Bomb Maker Admitted to Building Device Used in 1988 Lockerbie Explosion,” Wall Street Journal (December 21, 2020) https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-prosecutors-unseal-lockerbie-bombing-charges-against-alleged-libyan-bomb-maker-11608562775
- “DOJ Indicts Chinese Hackers for Break-Ins at 100 Companies,” Bloomberg News (September 17, 2020) https://news.bloomberglaw.com/white-collar-and-criminal-law/doj-says-chinese-hackers-indicted-for-break-ins-at-100-companies
- “US Attorney Brings Massive North Korean Sanctions Case, Targeting State-Owned Banks and Former Government Officials,” Washington Post (May 28, 2020) https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/us-brings-largest-ever-n-korean-sanctions-case-targeting-state-owned-bank-and-senior-government-officials/2020/05/28/3b23f616-a02b-11ea-b5c9-570a91917d8d_story.html
- “Miami Resident Gets 20 Years for Shipping Weapons to Colombian Terrorist Group," Miami Herald (January 28, 2020) https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article239710893.html
- “Poverty, Politics and Profit – Fraud in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Industry,” PBS Frontline (May 9, 2017) https://www.pbs.org/video/poverty-politics-and-profit-bhkmpo/
- “Miami Developers, Contractors Plead Guilty to $36 Million Affordable Housing Scam,” Miami Herald (August 31, 2015) https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article32880609.html
Credentials
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- New York
- Ohio
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Education
- University of Notre Dame, JD
- Ohio State University, BA
Clerkships
- Honorable Paul R. Matia, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
Accolades
- U.S. Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service (2021)
- Council of U.S. Inspectors General Complex Financial Prosecution Award (2017)
- Exceptional AUSA Service Award, National Association of Former US Attorneys (2017)
- Department of State, Exceptional Achievement Award, US Embassy, Kabul (2012)
- Exceptional Achievement Award, NATO – Afghanistan (2012)
- Joint Service Commendation Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster) (Operation Iraqi Freedom) (2003)
- Joint Service Commendation Medal (Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan) (2002)
- Navy and Marine Corp. Achievement Medal (Operation Southern Watch) (2000)
Engagements
News
- Michael Sherwin on Corporate Responses to Cyber-Intrusion Investigations at APEX Conference
- Kobre & Kim and Michael Kim Recognized in The Legal 500 USA
- Kobre & Kim, Michael Kim and Robin Rathmell Recognized in Latest Legal 500 USA Rankings
- Michael Sherwin Unpacks Law Enforcement’s Challenges When Seizing Digital Currency
- Kobre & Kim Placed in GIR 100 2021
- Former DOJ Prosecutor Michael Sherwin Discusses Move to Kobre & Kim with Law360
- How Israeli UHNWIs Can Prepare and Respond to Criminal Allegations from Western Enforcement Agencies
- African Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Can Protect Themselves from U.S. Authorities’ Increased Scrutiny
- How Chinese Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Can Protect Their Global Wealth from Seizure in a High-Tension World
- Korean Companies Should Prepare For Rising U.S.-Korea Parallel Antitrust Investigations
- Stopping the “Snowball Effect” of a Reputation Under Attack
- U.S. Sanctions Against Individuals in Greater China May Come Suddenly: How Overseas Advisors Can Protect Their Clients from Overreach
- Defensive and Counteroffensive Strategies in Delaware for Business Disputes that Turn Personal
- Mitigating Sanctions Risks For Individuals and Their Cyprus-Based Assets
- Preparing for Politically Motivated Criminal Enforcement Against Companies and Individuals in Asia
- Countering Bad-Faith Opponents' Efforts to Publicly Discredit High-Net-Worth Individuals
- New U.S. Rules For Investment Advisors Could Bring Aggressive Scrutiny on Non-U.S. Individuals
- Companies and Individuals in Greater China Can Protect Themselves from U.S. Sanctions Overreach
- Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Can Mitigate Two Hazards Lurking at Free Ports
- New U.S. Bribery Law Could Put Non-U.S. Officials Under Unwarranted Scrutiny
- Russian Litigants Can Still Access Critical Legal Tools in U.S. Courts
- Risk Rises for Korean Companies as U.S. Pursues More Aggressive Antitrust Enforcement
- How Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Should Respond When Their Cyprus-Based Assets Are Under Attack
- Global Companies Can Gain Advantage From Aggressive U.S. Antitrust Enforcement
- What Multinational Companies Should Know About Unprecedented Extraterritorial Activities by the South Korean Police
- Non-U.S. Companies Beware: U.S. Corporate Leniency Programs May Not Achieve Best Outcome
- Non-U.S. Companies Beware: New U.S. DOJ Guidelines May Apply
- New U.S. DOJ “Safe Harbor” Provisions May Not Be So Safe for Non-U.S. Companies
- Responding to U.S. DOJ Actions Against Latin American Individuals
- Two Ways the Art World Could Get Swept into the Sanctions Orbit
- How Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Can Mitigate Reputational Risks Arising From a Misinformation Campaign
- Mitigating Cyprus-Tied Shipping Companies' Exposure to Western Sanctions
Publications & Presentations
- Panelist, “The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act” (Florida Bar International Law Section, Miami, Florida) (March 2017)
- Panelist, “Hacking and IP Cybercrimes” (Cleveland Intellectual Law and Property Association, Cleveland, Ohio) (February 2017)
- Panelist, “The Perils of Search Warrants for Hospitals and Medical Offices in Complex Health Care Fraud Cases” (National Health Care Fraud Summit, Washington, D.C.) (September 2017)
News Mentions
- “Blunt Top Prosecutor on Capitol Riots, Michael Sherwin, May Stay in Under Biden,” Wall Street Journal (February 11, 2021) https://www.wsj.com/articles/blunt-top-prosecutor-on-capitol-riots-michael-sherwin-may-stay-on-under-biden-11613052000
- “Acting US Attorney Michael Sherwin and FBI Gives Update on Capitol Attack Charges,” PBS NewsHour (January 12, 2021) https://www.facebook.com/newshour/videos/watch-live-acting-us-attorney-michael-sherwin-and-fbi-give-update-on-capitol-att/1378940229114510/
- “DC Acting US Attorney Calls Scope of Capitol Investigation Unprecedented,” National Public Radio (January 10, 2021) https://www.npr.org/2021/01/10/955314373/d-c-s-acting-u-s-attorney-calls-scope-of-capitol-investigation-unprecedented
- “Acting US Attorney for Washington DC says ‘All Actors Being Investigated,’” Financial Times (January 7, 2021) https://www.ft.com/content/7cd64852-d079-4efd-8fa8-0e3e41586160
- “US Unseals Charges Against Suspect in 1998 Lockerbie Bombing,” New York Times (December 21, 2020) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/21/us/politics/lockerbie-bombing-suspect.html
- “Bomb Maker Admitted to Building Device Used in 1988 Lockerbie Explosion,” Wall Street Journal (December 21, 2020) https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-prosecutors-unseal-lockerbie-bombing-charges-against-alleged-libyan-bomb-maker-11608562775
- “DOJ Indicts Chinese Hackers for Break-Ins at 100 Companies,” Bloomberg News (September 17, 2020) https://news.bloomberglaw.com/white-collar-and-criminal-law/doj-says-chinese-hackers-indicted-for-break-ins-at-100-companies
- “US Attorney Brings Massive North Korean Sanctions Case, Targeting State-Owned Banks and Former Government Officials,” Washington Post (May 28, 2020) https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/us-brings-largest-ever-n-korean-sanctions-case-targeting-state-owned-bank-and-senior-government-officials/2020/05/28/3b23f616-a02b-11ea-b5c9-570a91917d8d_story.html
- “Miami Resident Gets 20 Years for Shipping Weapons to Colombian Terrorist Group," Miami Herald (January 28, 2020) https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article239710893.html
- “Poverty, Politics and Profit – Fraud in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Industry,” PBS Frontline (May 9, 2017) https://www.pbs.org/video/poverty-politics-and-profit-bhkmpo/
- “Miami Developers, Contractors Plead Guilty to $36 Million Affordable Housing Scam,” Miami Herald (August 31, 2015) https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article32880609.html