Robert Zink, former head of the U.S. Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, is a trial lawyer and member of the Firm’s Investigations, Government Enforcement and White Collar Criminal Defense Group.
Mr. Zink’s practice focuses on trying high stakes matters, defending corporate entities and individuals under investigation by federal and state law enforcement authorities and regulators across the United States, and providing advice and counsel to corporate entities in connection with the design, testing, and implementation of corporate compliance programs.
Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Zink served in various capacities at the U.S. Department of Justice, most recently as Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department’s Criminal Division and, before that, Chief of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. In these positions, Mr. Zink oversaw more than 150 federal prosecutors nationwide and supervised federal criminal investigations and prosecutions involving securities fraud, commodities fraud, healthcare fraud, government procurement fraud, federal bribery offenses, and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, over which the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section retains exclusive investigation and prosecution authority.
As a senior leader in the Criminal Division, Mr. Zink refined the Division’s approach to corporate criminal fraud and bribery investigations and prosecutions, which resulted in the resolution of over 40 corporate criminal cases totaling over $17 billion in global fines, penalties, and payments. Recently, Mr. Zink spearheaded the Department’s efforts to prosecute criminal commodities offenses, prescription opioid distribution offenses, healthcare fraud offenses of national scope and impact, and fraud offenses against and involving the United States government.
Mr. Zink has tried 20 criminal defendants—several of whom were corporate executives or officers—charged with white-collar criminal offenses in federal districts across the United States.
Mr. Zink speaks regularly on white collar matters at conferences and symposiums around the globe and has served as a guest lecturer at several law schools, including Harvard Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, and the George Washington University Law School.
Prior to joining the Department, Mr. Zink worked as an associate at a law firm in Washington, D.C. and clerked for the Honorable Donald P. Lay, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Corporate Matters (Government)
- United States v. Goldman Sachs Group Inc., et al. (E.D.N.Y.) (Oct. 2020)
Parent-level DPA and subsidiary plea; $1.96 billion in U.S. monetary payments - United States v. Ericsson, et al. (S.D.N.Y.) (Dec. 2019)
Parent-level DPA and subsidiary plea; $1 billion in U.S. monetary payments - United States v. JP Morgan Chase & Co., et al. (D. Conn.) (Sept. 2020)
Parent-level DPA; $920 million in U.S. monetary payments - United States v. Airbus SE (D.D.C.) (Jan. 2020)
Parent-level DPA; $587 million in U.S. monetary payments - United States v. Tenet HealthSystem Medical, Inc., et al. (N.D. Ga.) (Sept. 2016)
Parent-level NPA and subsidiary pleas; $513 in U.S. monetary payments - United States v. Vitol Inc. (E.D.N.Y.) (Dec. 2020)
Parent-level DPA; $118 million in U.S. monetary payments - United States v. The Bank of Nova Scotia (D. N.J.) (Aug. 2020)
Parent-level DPA; $77 million in U.S. monetary payments
Individual Matters (Government)
- United States v. Sarao (N.D. Ill. 2016)
Prosecuted one of alleged perpetrators of the 2010 “Flash Crash” on charges of fraud, manipulation, and commodities spoofing. - United States v. Kallen-Zury, et al. (S.D. Fla. 2013)
Prosecuted hospital CEO, along with other hospital executives, on fraud and commercial bribery charges relating to an approximately $70 million Medicare fraud. - United States v. Turner (S.D. Tex. 2013)
Prosecuted owner and operator of a home health company on Medicare fraud charges. - United States v. McMaster, et al. (D. N.D. 2013)
Prosecuted two executives of mortgage company on fraud charges relating to a $30 million bank fraud scheme. - United States v. Willner, et al. (S.D. Fla. 2012)
Prosecuted seven defendants for roles in then-largest Medicare fraud in U.S. history. - United States v. Yeh (D. N.J. 2011)
Prosecuted CEO of a government subcontractor on fraud charges resulting in over $25 million of losses to a federal government program designed to support the disabled. - United States v. Farkas (E.D. Va. 2011)
Prosecuted CEO of mortgage loan origination company on wire fraud, bank fraud, and securities fraud charges arising from a scheme that resulted in over $3 billion in losses and contributed to the sixth-largest bank failure in U.S. history.
- Antitrust & Competition
- Crisis Law & Strategy Group
- Government & Regulatory Litigation
- Health Care Litigation
- Investigations, Government Enforcement & White Collar Criminal Defense Practice
- Latin America Practice
- Brazil Practice
- Litigation Representing Plaintiffs
- Middle East & North Africa Practice
- Securities Litigation
- Sports Litigation
- Structured Finance & Derivatives Litigation
- Blockchain and Digital Asset Practice
- Commodities and Derivatives
- University of Iowa College of Law
(J.D., with High Distinction and Special Honors, 2005)- Iowa Law Review:
- Member
- Iowa Law Review:
- Georgetown University
(B.A., cum laude, English, 2001)
- The State Bar of New York
- The District of Columbia Bar
- U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, 2010-2021:
- Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General
- Chief, Fraud Section
- Acting Principal Deputy Chief, Fraud Section
- Assistant Chief, Securities & Financial Fraud Unit, Fraud Section
- Assistant Chief, Health Care Fraud Unit, Fraud Section
- Covington & Burling LLP:
- Associate, 2006 – 2010
- Associate, 2006 – 2010
- Law Clerk for the Honorable Donald P. Lay:
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 2005-2006
- Recipient of the:
- Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service
- Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service
- The CFTC Chairman’s Award for Regulatory Excellence
- The Council for the Inspectors General Award for Excellence
- HHS-OIG’s Inspector General’s Award for Excellence
Publications
- Co-Author, 38 Creighton Law Review 1 (2004)
Recent Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, Futures Industry Association, “DOJ Enforcement Priorities in Commodities and Derivatives Markets: A Discussion with DOJ Leadership” Apr. 13, 2021 (Virtual)
- Panelist, 22nd Georgetown Law’s Corporate Counsel Institute, “Enforcer’s Panel,” Mar. 16, 2021 (Virtual)
- Speaker, Global Investigations Review, “Regional Spotlight-North America,” Dec. 9, 2020 (Virtual)
- Speaker, U.S. Department of Justice, “PPP Criminal Fraud Enforcement Action Press Conference,” Sept. 10, 2020 (Washington, D.C.)
- Panelist, Practicing Law Institute, “19th Annual Institute on Securities Regulation in Europe: Practical Implications of U.S. Law on EU Practice—Enforcement Panel,” Jan. 13, 2020 (London, England)
- Panelist, Practicing Law Institute, “White Collar Crime 2019: Prosecutors and Regulators Speak,” September 25, 2019 (New York, New York)
- Speaker, The Directors Roundtable Institute, “Managing a Corporate Crisis,” Sept. 11, 2019 (New York, New York)
- Panelist, American Bar Association, “A Deep Dive Into the Complexities of Representing Multiple Defendants in Investigations,” Mar. 7, 2019 (New Orleans, La.)