Representation covering
a wide range of matters.
We handle government, corporate, and regulatory investigations;
federal trials and appeals; and criminal law matters.
The Firm represents individuals and businesses in investigations by DOJ, SEC, IRS, EPA, CFTC, FERC, and the Texas Attorney General in areas such as the FCPA, tax, environmental regulation, commodities trading, antitrust, bankruptcy and mortgage fraud, health care fraud, and immigration. We also consult on civil matters with criminal implications or exposure (such as False Claims Act cases alleging violations of the anti-kickback statute or Medicare fraud, or investigations concerning alleged sanctions violations by companies operating in prohibited countries). The Firm has unparalleled experience in obtaining “compassionate release” for federal inmates under the First Step Act. Our representations cover a wide range of matters and include clients in the energy industry, health care, financial services, and construction and engineering sectors.
Practice Areas
Government &
Corporate Investigations
Federal Trials &
Appeals
Federal Writs &
Compassionate Release
Government & Corporate Investigations
Successful defense of businessman in a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation by DOJ concerning transactions in the Middle East.
Representation of healthcare executive in False Claims Act case with parallel criminal litigation.
Defense of owner of toxicology lab under DOJ investigation.
Representation of employees of a pharmacy distributor under DOJ investigation.
Representation of employee in criminal antitrust investigation by DOJ into Houston-based accessories company.
Internal investigation of discrimination claims on behalf of national home-improvement company accused of violations by EEOC.
In 2023, secured declination of criminal prosecution for a client who had been under federal investigation for international migratory bird trafficking.
Federal Charges & Trials
Defense of client charged with fraud and money laundering in the construction of a downtown Houston hotel. We were able to convince the government that there was not sufficient evidence of wrongdoing. The government ultimately filed a motion to dismiss the indictment before trial, and the court granted the motion.
Represented client charged with $36 million fraud involving the theft of natural gas liquids in the San Juan Basin from oil & gas producers.
In October 2019, the federal court in Dallas sentenced client to 10 months in prison, even though the federal sentencing guidelines called for a sentence of nearly 20 years in prison.
In SEC civil action, successful defense of oil-drilling executive charged with violating the Federal Corrupt Practices Act in Nigeria.
Defense of former General Counsel / Chief Financial Officer of energy company in parallel SEC and DOJ investigations. Client also named as an individual defendant in a federal shareholder-derivative lawsuit in Delaware and a class-action suit in the Southern District of Texas.
In February 2024, the federal court in New York imposed a 12-month sentence, even though the federal sentencing guidelines called for 8 to 10 years in prison.
Defense of the “IFCO” immigration-hiring case, resulting in DOJ‘s dismissal of all felony charges against the company‘s Vice President for Human Resources.
Federal acquittal at trial of passenger charged with assaulting a flight attendant.
Won release on bail for controversial, high-profile client after international manhunt.
Represented long-time bank officer at JP Morgan Chase accused of bank and wire fraud.
In July 2022, the federal court in Houston sentenced client to probation, even though the federal sentencing guidelines called for 4 to 5 years in prison.
Won dismissal of federal money laundering charges involving transactions with Mexico based on statute-of-limitations violation.
In March 2024, secured full dismissal of federal charges involving alleged distribution of controlled substances.
Federal Appeals & Writs
Argued before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of client who had been previously convicted of four federal crimes. Won a ruling in which his convictions were vacated and remanded for a new trial, ultimately leading to a 142-month reduction in his sentence.
Won a Fifth Circuit remand for the district court to correct errors in our client’s sentence.
Argued twice before the Fifth Circuit, in 2022 and 2023, in a case involving Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and money laundering charges. Persuaded the court to affirm the Speedy Trial Act dismissal of all charges.
Monitor every Fifth Circuit criminal case to stay at the cutting edge of the law. Summarize those cases on our Fifth Circuit Blog.
Rob Will case: Federal and state habeas appeal of Texas death-penalty case. Samy has been working on the case for more than a decade. He has uncovered hidden evidence and is litigating for a new trial. The US Court of Appeals authorized the filing of a seldom achieved “second or successive” federal habeas petition raising claims of prosecutorial misconduct by the State of Texas. See In re Will, 970 F.3d 536 (5th Cir. 2020).
Rob Will case on Dr. Phil (starts at 1:30).
Federal Pardons & Compassionate Release
Client was a doctor who had been sentenced to 12 years in prison for health care fraud. At age 72, after serving only 3 years of that 12-year sentence, he hired Samy. We were able to convince the federal court , over the government’s opposition, to grant a reduction in sentence to “time served” due to client’s susceptibility to Covid-19, combined with his advanced age and underlying medical conditions.
Charlton Esekhigbe Presidential Pardon – reducing a 20-year sentence to time served.
In February 2021, won “compassionate release” for federal inmate sentenced 16 years earlier to life imprisonment for drug trafficking, based on change in mandatory minimum laws under First Step Act of 2018.
This is one of 8 cases — 3 pre-Covid and 5 post-Covid — in which we have secured compassionate release for inmates since Congress enacted the First Step Act in 2018.