Washington
DC 20006
James M. Trusty After 28 years as a prosecutor, James (“Jim”) Trusty brings to Ifrah Law extensive experience in complex, multi-district white collar litigation, especially in matters involving RICO, The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and The Money Laundering Control Act of 1986.
As the federal government continues to apply increasingly broad interpretations of these statutes in its investigations and prosecutions of white collar defendants, corporations and individuals can face the threat of exponentially higher monetary penalties and added jail time. To clients defending against such allegations, Jim offers the insider’s view on how federal cases are built, investigations pursued and settlements negotiated. Ranked by Chambers USA as one of America’s leading lawyers for litigation in White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations, the publication notes, “Former prosecutor James Trusty offers deep expertise in white-collar litigation….,” and clients told Chambers researchers, “James has a good personality and kept me at ease,” and that he “is a well-versed, high-stakes type individual white-collar lawyer.”
Joining Ifrah Law after a long career in public service, most recently as Chief of the Organized Crime Section at the United States Department of Justice, Jim now focuses his practice on the litigation and resolution of complex disputes for clients in a broad array of industries facing issues ranging from cybersecurity and computer fraud, to civil RICO and asset forfeiture.
For seven years, Jim served in the DOJ’s Criminal Division, where he was ultimately responsible for investigating and prosecuting regional, national, and international cases, supervising significant pleadings and providing strategic and tactical guidance in complex investigations and multi-defendant trials. In addition to running the RICO review unit, he also was in charge of establishing and promoting policies focused on immigration reform, firearms trafficking, proposed Congressional testimony for DOJ officials, and internet gambling. Significant and sensitive matters on which he worked include the post-conviction review of Alaska corruption cases related to U.S. v. Theodore Stevens, the investigation into allegations of misconduct by a sitting U.S. Attorney and one of her Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and numerous death penalty cases.
Prior to his work at DOJ, Jim acted as Assistant U.S. Attorney in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he investigated and prosecuted a wide variety of white collar and other criminal cases, including The Washington area Sniper investigation.
Jim regularly speaks at conferences, seminars, and training sessions on topics related to complex litigation and criminal law. In addition to numerous pro bono projects, Jim has coached several Mock Trial teams at American University Washington College of Law. Jim has been awarded numerous honors over the course of his career including the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, Federal Prosecutor of the Year, Community Prosecuting Award, and the Child Abuse Protection Award, to name only a few.
In 2018, Jim was appointed by the Governor of Maryland to serve on The Task Force to Study Maryland’s Criminal Gang Statutes. The Task Force will review and consider the efficacy of existing state laws as they apply to gang-related criminal activity in the state. After their review is complete, the Task Force will present their findings and recommendations to the Governor.
Awards + Recognition
- Chambers USA: White Collar Crime and Government Investigations (Washington, DC), 2022
- Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, 2011
- ATF Honors Award, 2010
- Baltimore SAC Award (ICE), 2009
- Assistant Attorney General’s Award (MS-13), 2007
- Project Safe Neighborhood Gang Prosecution Award, 2007
- Project Safe Neighborhood Innovative Practices Award, 2007
- FLEOA National Award for Investigative Excellence, 2007
- Federal Prosecutor of the Year, Montgomery County Police, 2005
Professional + Community
- Task Force to Study Maryland’s Criminal Gang Statutes – Appointed by Governor of Maryland, 2018
"The Definitive Guide to Online Gaming and Betting in the U.S."
Comprehensive eBook from Ifrah Law, available as a complimentary download
Read more"Social Media and Other Electronic Data – How to Get it Admitted in Criminal, Family, And Other Civil Cases"
CLE for The Bar Association and Bar Foundation - Montgomery County, Maryland
Read more"Global Issues Forum: How to Survive the Era of the Digital Border Search – Practical Issues Surrounding Law Enforcement Access to Phones, Laptops and Tablets"
ACC National Capitol Region, McLean, VA
Read moreJames M. Trusty, Author, "Do Criminal Defendants Have Web Rights?"
TheCrimeReport.org
Read more"Wiretap Investigations", Washington, DC
Philippine Delegation - Washington, DC
"Threat Investigations"
Instructor: USMS Deputies - Houston, TX
"RICO Prosecution; Cooperating Defendants"
Speaker - Honolulu, HI
"Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association 2016"
Instructor and Opening Statements - Linthicum, MD
James M. Trusty, Speaker, "Wiretap Evidence"
Speaker to Japanese Delegation - Washington, DC
"Oklahoma Supreme Court RICO"
Instructor for Sitting Judges- Oklahoma City, OK
"Department of Justice (DOJ) Attorneys"
Opening Remarks - Washington, DC
"Death Penalty Investigations"
National Advocacy Center
"Advantages and Disadvantages of RICO"
St. Louis, MO
"Trial Advocacy Program for Pakistani Prosecutors"
Instructor - Bangkok, Thailand
James M. Trusty, Instructor, "FBI Laboratory Moot Court"
Forensics - Quanitco, VA
James M. Trusty, Instructor, "Maryland State Attorney’s Association", Linthicum, MD
James M. Trusty, Instructor, "FBI Laboratory Moot Court (forensics)", Quantico, VA
James M. Trusty, James Trusty, Instructor, "RICO Training", NAC National Conference
James M. Trusty, Opening Statements, "Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association", Linthicum, MD
James M. Trusty, Instructor, "Federal Criminal Practice Seminar", National Advocacy Center (NAC)
"RICO Training (USAO)", New Orleans, LA
James M. Trusty, Instructor, "RICO Prosecution and Indian Country", National Advocacy Center (NAC)
James M. Trusty, Speaker, "RICO (Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office)", Chicago, IL
James M. Trusty, Instructor, "Federal Criminal Practice Seminar "Handling Cooperating Defendants and Confidential Informants"", National Advocacy Center (NAC)
Ifrah Secures Release for International Client Jailed for Alleged Arms Control Violations
When an international businessman was taken into custody at the U.S.-Canada border and jailed for four months without bail, the Ifrah team was brought in to challenge the government.
A businessman from a prominent political family in Pakistan was indicted for violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), statutes traditionally used against professional exporters seeking to evade licensing requirements so the government does not detect their efforts to sell state secrets or military-grade weaponry to parties and governments with anti-U.S. sentiments. He was also charged with making false statements about his intended use for legally purchased firearm accessories because he was not only an avid hunter but a licensed firearms retailer in his home country. Ifrah Law attorneys quickly filed a number of ground-breaking motions on our client’s behalf. One of the motions also sought bail for the client based on the weakness of the government’s case and notwithstanding the existence of an ICE detainer, a status which usually eliminates the possibility of release.
The Court expressed concern about the government’s ability to meet its burden of proof, and strong displeasure with the government’s case: “(T)he older I get,… the more distressed I am about the inability of government authorities to exercise common sense and practicality…. (W)e’re all in this together under one of the most sacred documents in our whole concept of jurisprudence, the Constitution of the United States, to treat people fairly and justly, not to win at any cost or put the screws to somebody so we can put the screws to them.”
After the defense investigation uncovered that U.S. law enforcement had destroyed physical evidence, the Court granted bail and ultimately the U.S. Attorney agreed to dismiss the IEEPA and AECA charges. Our client chose to plead guilty to the false statement charge and a sentence of time served in order to go home immediately. He had been in jail and away from his family for nine months, during which time he missed the birth of his first child.
Well-crafted motions and aggressive investigation led to the extremely rare circumstance of a foreign citizen charged with weapons violations being released from pretrial detention, and the ultimate dismissal of the more substantial felonies in the case.
(United States v. Durrani, No. 1:17-cr-00024 (W.D.N.Y))
More than a Mantra: Pitfalls of Excluding Time under Speedy Trial Analysis
This week the Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stinging reminder about the need for precision in the case of U.S. v. Pikus, No. 20-3080 (2d Cir. 2022). Aleksander Pikus was one of four defendants charged with money laundering conspiracy and related offenses for bilking Medicare and Medicaid through false billings. The scheme featured… Read More
Michigan’s High Profile Boomerang
About one month before the 2020 election, the Department of Justice proudly announced their disruption of a scheme to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Six men were arrested and referred to as “violent extremists.” Gov. Whitmer’s surrogates indicated that the blame was not fully on the gnarly bearded men whose pictures dominated newscasts around the… Read More
Law Firms Champing at the Bit(coin)
Cryptocurrencies, such as the industry leaders Bitcoin and Ethereum, appear to be on the slow march towards popular acceptance as legitimate means of payment. As evidence of both legitimacy and the sluggishness of acceptance, several Bar Associations have weighed in with opinions on the ability of lawyers to accept cryptocurrencies as payment for legal services…. Read More
Mobile Gaming is Now Mobile
Last week, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued guidance that removes a significant hurdle from the daily operations of the mobile betting industry. Under a regulatory component of the USA Patriot Act,[1] casinos are required to use documentary evidence (such as a driver’s license or passport) to verify their customer’s identity in establishing accounts. … Read More
Shaken to the Core
This month in San Francisco, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple must stop forcing game developers to exclusively use its payment system in their app purchases. With the ruling, app developers can include a link or other advertisement to facilitate alternative ways of paying for each app. The suit was brought… Read More
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