Kelly Currie is a partner in Crowell & Moring’s nationally-recognized White Collar & Regulatory Enforcement Group and a member of the firm’s Investigations Practice.
He is a former federal prosecutor and an experienced trial lawyer who defends companies and individuals in government investigations, white collar criminal defense matters, regulatory enforcement actions, and corporate internal investigations. Kelly has been recognized as a leader in the white collar and government investigations bar by Chambers USA. According to Chambers, he “comes recommended as ‘a very measured lawyer who prepares incredibly meticulously, has good diplomacy skills and is able to get the most out of a negotiation.’” Kelly was also named as a top-rated white collar criminal defense attorney by The Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers magazine.
Government Service
For over a dozen years, Kelly served as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and held a number of leadership positions, including Acting U.S. Attorney, Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and Chief of the Violent Crimes and Terrorism Section.
As Acting U.S. Attorney, he was responsible for all criminal and civil litigation in the district on behalf of the United States and supervised more than 175 Assistant U.S. Attorneys. He oversaw a number of high-profile matters, including the investigation and indictment of dozens of high-ranking FIFA officials and sports marketing executives on charges related to alleged bribery and kickback schemes corrupting FIFA and other international soccer governing bodies. In overseeing the EDNY's Civil Division, Kelly supervised investigations and matters involving the False Claims Act and the Financial Institution Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA).
Earlier in his career at the EDNY, Kelly led numerous complex, global investigations and prosecutions, including those involving violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), money laundering, export control violations, the financing of terrorist organizations, and other national security matters. Kelly has tried over fifteen federal jury trials to verdict and argued many cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. His trials have involved securities and wire fraud, money laundering, international terrorist financing, multi-defendant RICO prosecutions, and tax fraud. He is a recipient of the Eastern District Association’s Charles E. Rose Award for outstanding service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.
In addition to his service as a federal prosecutor, Kelly has extensive experience in international negotiations and dispute resolution. During his career, he served as a senior advisor to former U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell, who chaired the Northern Ireland Political Negotiations that resulted in the historic Good Friday Agreement. Kelly also served as a senior advisor to Senator Mitchell in his role as chairman of an international fact-finding commission on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Selected Representations
- International financial institution in connection with U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation of money laundering, FCPA violations, and kleptocracy.
- Global professional services firm in FCPA investigation related to business transactions in the Middle East and North Africa.
- Managing director at a U.S. investment bank in a DOJ, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Federal Reserve Board investigation of possible FCPA violations in Asia. In defending enforcement action brought by the Federal Reserve, negotiated a settlement involving no monetary penalty or admission of liability.
- Executives at an international bank in a DOJ investigation of foreign currency exchange (forex) trading.
- Traders and compliance professionals at financial institutions in criminal and regulatory investigations by DOJ, SEC, and CFTC of alleged manipulation of benchmark rate settings and other alleged market manipulation.
- Internal investigation for publicly-traded Fortune 100 company related to products liability.
- National transportation corporation in a state criminal grand jury investigation.
- Executives of a pharmaceutical company in a DOJ criminal and civil False Claims Act investigation.
- Executives and other professionals of financial institutions in connection with DOJ, SEC, and state attorneys general investigations regarding residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS).
- Compliance professional at a major energy company in DOJ criminal investigation and related civil litigation resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney's Office, Kelly was in private practice at an international firm where he represented corporations and individuals in white collar criminal defense matters and securities litigation.
Kelly has served as a panelist and faculty member at DOJ and bar association conferences related to white collar prosecutions, federal criminal practice, and national security matters.