New U.S. DOJ Antitrust Leadership Signals More Criminal Prosecutions and Longer Prison Sentences
Two weeks after a leadership shakeup in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Enforcement Daniel W. Glad stressed in his first public remarks that the Division’s criminal enforcement program will remain highly active and that individuals involved in criminal antitrust offenses should continue to expect lengthy prison sentences. To drive home this message, Glad highlighted the fact that the Antitrust Division opened nearly 100 criminal investigations in FY 2025 and secured prison sentences that reflected more than a 1,200% increase in prison days imposed year-over-year. He cautioned that individuals who commit criminal antitrust offenses should “be aware that what’s on the line isn’t just a fine — it’s their … liberty.”
(more…)
Matthew Podolsky Joins as Partner in Sidley’s White Collar Defense and Investigations and Commercial Litigation and Disputes Practices in New York
Sidley is pleased to announce that Matthew Podolsky has joined the firm as a partner in its White Collar Defense and Investigations practice and its Commercial Litigation and Disputes practice in New York. He joins Sidley after a distinguished career as a federal prosecutor, most recently serving as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY).
Call of Duties: New U.S. Trade Fraud Task Force Signals Increased Tariff Enforcement is Coming
On August 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced their partnership on the cross-agency Trade Fraud Task Force. Per DOJ’s press release, the Task Force will bring robust enforcement against importers and other parties that seek to defraud the United States.
President Trump Signs “Fair Banking” Executive Order Directing Financial Regulators to Remedy Past and Present Debanking Practices
On August 7, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Guaranteeing Fair Banking for All Americans,” directing federal agencies to combat “debanking” — the denial or termination of financial services based on political views, religious beliefs, or industry affiliation. The executive order expands on numerous recent federal and state initiatives targeting debanking — including the joint U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)/Commonwealth of Virginia Equal Access to Banking Task Force, two recent bills introduced in the U.S. Senate, and actions by the federal financial regulators to remove “reputation risk” as a supervisory consideration.
Tariff Evasion Is Within DOJ’s Crosshairs: Potential Criminal and Civil Consequences for Noncompliance With Increased U.S. Tariffs
The first six months of the current Trump administration have made it clear that tariffs are here to stay and that noncompliance — intentional or otherwise — will be subject to potentially significant criminal and civil liability. Indeed, the administration has committed to an August 1, 2025, deadline for new country-specific tariffs to begin. The scale, speed, and complexity of the changes in the U.S. tariff landscape over the previous six months (which will likely continue) has created an environment ripe for noncompliance. (more…)
Whistleblower Rewards Continue to Grow: U.S. DOJ’s Antitrust Division Joins the Fray
On July 8, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)’s Antitrust Division announced its partnership with the Postal Service to offer financial rewards to individuals who report violations of antitrust laws and related offenses affecting the Postal Service, its revenues, or its property.
U.S. DOJ Announces Renewal of FCA Working Group
On July 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the renewal of the DOJ-HHS False Claims Act Working Group (Working Group), a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that aims to strengthen use of the False Claims Act (FCA) to combat healthcare fraud. (more…)
U.S. DOJ Civil Division to Investigate Possible Violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by Pharmaceutical Firms Manufacturing Drugs Used in Gender Transition Care
On June 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division issued a memorandum outlining five Trump administration policy objectives and “direct[ing] Civil Division attorneys to prioritize investigations and enforcement actions advancing these priorities.”1 The memorandum is signed by Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, who was confirmed by the Senate two days earlier, on June 9, 2025.2 One of the five policy objectives, entitled “Protecting Women and Children,” has potentially significant enforcement implications for pharmaceutical companies whose drugs may be used in gender transition care — even if they are used off-label.
