Craig R. Heeren

Government & Internal Investigations

Craig helps clients mitigate inquiries by federal and state law enforcement agencies and regulators by quickly identifying the relevant issues and key facts necessary to advocate for a positive outcome for the client. He advises on responses to grand jury subpoenas, search warrants, formal and informal regulatory inquiries, and requests for interviews and witness testimony. He works with clients to coordinate effective internal investigations designed to lead to favorable and expeditious responses from the government. As an experienced trial lawyer who has handled high-profile and complex cases, Craig also vigorously defends clients in high-stakes enforcement actions, regulatory proceedings and trials. He has particular experience in handling matters involving the federal wire fraud statute, the federal cybercrime statute (Computer Fraud and Abuse Act or CFAA), the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), export laws and the multiple sanctions regimes implemented by OFAC and BIS, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and statutes prohibiting material support of foreign terrorist organizations. Craig has conducted numerous sophisticated investigations and other overseas work on nearly every continent and is experienced in the complex issues arising out of such matters, including evidence collection, responding to foreign law enforcement and regulators, conducting foreign witness interviews, and litigating the extradition process. He also has substantial experience engaging with the U.S. intelligence community and dealing with other issues involving classified information.

Regulatory Compliance & Complex Civil Litigation

Craig guides clients through regulatory inquiries and civil litigation that may precede or arise alongside criminal investigations. He has experience across a wide array of regulatory inquiries that impact financial institutions, cleared defense contractors, high-technology companies and global business entities. Clients involved in significant international trade — including shipping and logistics businesses, consumer product businesses, and agribusinesses — can benefit from his guidance in navigating the robust growth in sanctions and export laws. Craig also provides guidance on how to initiate, or respond to, civil claims filed under the federal computer crime law, trade secrets laws and foreign agent registration laws.

Cybercrime & Cybersecurity

Craig advises clients on preparing for and responding to cybersecurity incidents. He has significant experience with forensic analysis, breach remediation, victim and regulator notification, and other issues that arise out of a cybersecurity incident. Craig has handled matters involving cryptocurrency theft, ransomware creation, high-tech trade secrets and foreign government-directed hacking activity. His substantial technical knowledge of computer law and technology, along with his experience in cybercrime litigation and compliance, enables him to communicate comfortably with sophisticated clients. Craig also helps clients determine whether and when to contact law enforcement and develop contacts with entities responsible for cybersecurity response.

Prosecutorial Experience

An Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York for 10 years, Craig was responsible for all aspects of criminal investigation and prosecution as a member of the International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, and the National Security and Cybercrime Section. He was deputy chief of the National Security and Cybercrime Section, where he helped supervise a team of prosecutors who brought some of the most significant and cutting-edge national security and cybercrime cases in the nation. Craig also served as the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s computer hacking and intellectual property coordinator (CHIP), and as the counterintelligence and expert control coordinator, when he developed relationships across a variety of federal government agencies. He was also appointed to the Department of Justice’s Ransomware Working Group and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Bank Integrity Task Force. Craig directed and supervised complex federal criminal matters involving multinational corporations; cybercrime and the CFAA; federal wire fraud and banking laws; export control and sanctions evasion under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Export Controls Reform Act (ECRA) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR); and complex terrorism investigations and foreign malign-influence activities under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and Section 951. Craig delivered numerous presentations on complex criminal investigations and national security issues at the Department of Justice’s nationwide training center, at conferences for cybersecurity and national security experts, and at Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) training seminars.

Representative Matters at Department of Justice

• Investigated a ticketing entity for unlawful access to protected computer systems of a competitor, leading to a deferred prosecution agreement, a $10 million fine and a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity compliance program.
• Charged and secured convictions of members of a transnational procurement network responsible for using a web of corporate entities to evade U.S. sanctions against Russia, and illegally exporting technology that could be used in the development of nuclear and hypersonic weapons, quantum computing, and other military applications.
• Supervised prosecution of a senior executive of a cryptocurrency exchange responsible for processing hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of illicit funds.
• Secured the conviction of the coder responsible for building and operating multiple online platforms used by cybercrime actors in “carding” activity and other cyber-enabled criminal activity. Facilitated the seizure of more than ₿700 (about $29 million) in criminal proceeds originally held in a hostile foreign country.
• Prosecuted a scheme to evade U.S. terrorism sanctions and conduct money-laundering transactions in millions of dollars of diamonds and artwork, leading to U.S. criminal charges, multiple OFAC sanction designations, the State Department listing the principals under the Rewards for Justice program, and other foreign government actions.
• Supervised and helped execute the disruption of a foreign-government controlled malware network in coordination with the FBI, U.S. Cyber Command, and other intelligence and cybersecurity agencies.
• Supervised investigation of the first-ever guilty plea of a corporate defendant for providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, resulting in more than $700 million in fines and forfeiture.
• Conducted a first-in-nation Section 951 illegal foreign agent prosecution and trial conviction of individuals involved in the “Operation Fox Hunt” transnational repression scheme.
• Convicted the heads of operations of Chinese and U.S. construction businesses for using forced labor in New York building construction.
• Coordinated a whole-of-government response to investigate, locate and arrest the person responsible for a subway shooting spree in New York City, which wounded 10 people.
• Charged and secured the guilty plea of a former Mexican government official as part of a larger prosecution aimed at dismantling a violent Mexican drug cartel.

Personal Interests

In his free time, Craig enjoys hiking and biking, playing guitar, watching the Mets and Knicks, and traveling with his family.