ANTHONY PACHECO
PARTNER
anthony.pacheco@adkfirm.com
310-702-8226
Anthony Pacheco leverages nearly four decades of experience in the law to fight for the rights of individuals and entities worldwide. A stalwart advocate and trusted advisor to clients across a range of industries—from banking, finance, private equity, and venture capital to healthcare, import/export violations and sanctions, technology, software, and government—Anthony expertly serves clients confronted with complex civil litigation, parallel proceedings (administrative, civil and criminal), internal investigations, federal and state investigations and criminal prosecutions. Anthony is unflappable in the face of his clients’ most daunting legal obstacles, calling on his creativity, determination, and problem-solving skills to beat even the toughest odds.
Anthony’s long list of clients—including publicly traded and private companies, nonprofit entities, medical centers and hospitals, executives, professionals, government officials, family offices, celebrities, and community leaders—benefit from the depth and breadth of his experience across legal areas and jurisdictions. At home in civil and criminal venues alike, he has litigated cases relating to federal and state healthcare fraud, securities and financial institution fraud, whistleblower claims, corporate espionage (domestic and cross-border), False Claims Act, cybersecurity, theft of trade secrets, insider trading, shadow trading, breach of contract (and other complex civil litigation claims), consumer fraud, and mail and wire fraud. He has also handled more than 100 internal investigations for publicly traded and middle-market companies and managed an assortment of sensitive public relations issues, helping clients minimize their exposure while preserving their interests.
Anthony is well known for his ability to plot a clear course to resolution. According to Chambers USA, “Anthony is a sensational lawyer, smart, articulate, well-prepared, and with top-level judgment. … He has a unique ability to quickly get to the heart of the dispute and develop a winning legal strategy.” One client stated, “He's very forward-thinking and strategic ... in ways that draw on his experience and strong judgment about the practical aspects of how government matters will unfold." Another describes Anthony as “… someone who draws on an impressive toolbox of professional and interpersonal skills, permitting him to advocate efficiently and effectively for his clients' desired outcomes.” Described as “calm and resourceful,” he is also valued by clients for demonstrating “empathy and kindness while at the same time aggressively advancing [their] interests.”
In addition to sound judgment and strategic planning, Anthony offers clients firsthand insight into government operations. He previously served as a federal prosecutor in the Central District of California, Criminal Division, where he represented the United States in significant federal criminal investigations and prosecutions. He also served as the president of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, overseeing 10,000 sworn officers and 3500 civilian employees as well as the department’s $1.3 billion budget.
Anthony is an active participant in the legal community. He has taught trial advocacy, provided compliance training for in-house lawyers, and served as a mentor to younger lawyers. An accomplished speaker, he has been a frequent contributor to print media, radio, and television. Additionally, he serves as a member of the Chancery Club, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and the Princeton Club of Southern California.
EDUCATION
B.A., Princeton University
J.D., University of Michigan Law School
EXPERIENCE
United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Criminal Division, Assistant United States Attorney
President, Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners
AmLaw 100 and 200 Firms, Partner
BAR ADMISSIONS
California State Bar
RECENT HONORS
Ranked in Litigation: White Collar Crime and Government Investigations, California, Chambers USA (2020-present)
Recognized by Best Lawyers for Criminal Defense: White Collar (2009-present)
Leaders of Influence: Litigators and Trial Attorneys, Los Angeles Business Journal (2021, 2022)
Top Minority Attorney, Los Angeles Business Journal (2020, 2023)
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Served as lead counsel for a high-level executive in a federal criminal prosecution of a major regional hospital regarding hundreds of agreements (options, leases, physician management agreements, and outsource collection agreements) used to facilitate improper payments to physicians and to other healthcare providers in exchange for patient referrals. At the time, this was one of the largest criminal healthcare cases in the Western region of the United States. The case was resolved such that the executive did not serve a single day of incarceration, despite initial criminal exposure of over 20 years.*
Represented an executive in a substantial securities fraud prosecution involving a publicly traded company and allegations of misstatements about inventory allegedly used to inflate the company's financial performance. Resolved case on favorable terms, despite significant criminal exposure.*
Handled an internal investigation for a city in Southern California regarding a federal government public corruption inquiry and subsequent prosecution.*
Represented an executive in a wide-ranging public corruption investigation and prosecution involving bribery and related misconduct.*
Served as coordinating counsel in a complex healthcare civil litigation involving multiple state and federal proceedings. The cases ran the gamut from receivership issues to bankruptcy proceedings, to applications for collateral relief, to appellate proceedings. The issues spanned a wide variety of healthcare, long-term care, corporate, and regulatory matters, as well as numerous proceedings involving several judgments collectively exceeding $1 billion.*
Served as lead counsel to a system of acute care hospitals in a substantial False Claims Act case by the United States Department of Justice and the California Attorney General's Office. Coordinated with various counsel for the many different owners and executives of the system. The matter involved allegations by a whistleblower of Stark and anti-kickback violations based upon physician directorships. The case resolved on favorable terms.*
Successfully represented a company accused of import/export violations in parallel civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings.*
Represented a major global company in a federal grand jury investigation concerning alleged tariff violations in connection with a significant multimillion-dollar project.*
Conducted an expansive internal investigation in connection with a prominent hospital in Northern California regarding numerous whistleblower complaints.*
Represented prominent California state court judges in connection with cyberstalking and harassment. Obtained injunctive and other appropriate relief on behalf of the sitting judges.*
Conducted an internal investigation for a local water district regarding employee misconduct.*
Successfully counseled private equity companies, regional real estate developers, nonprofit schools, universities, and a global religious organization in various unrelated and highly sensitive media crisis matters, spanning a number of difficult and highly visible challenges to the standing of these respective entities in the community.*
Handled defamation litigation against attorneys responsible for the wrongful pursuit of litigation and media campaign. Obtained substantial settlements against each attorney.*
Represented a large healthcare system regarding investigations by federal, state, and county prosecutors and other regulators concerning a host of legal and regulatory matters ranging from coding issues to directorships to fraud allegations to the corporate practice of medicine.*
Represented a large skilled nursing facility in a criminal investigation involving elder abuse allegations, where a presentation to a State Attorney General resulted in a declination of prosecution and no administrative actions.*
Represented an executive/owner of a defense contractor charged in a federal illegal campaign finance prosecution. Resolved the case without imposition of a term of incarceration, despite significant criminal exposure.*
Counseled companies in computer fraud and abuse, corporate espionage, and theft of trade secrets investigations, including illegal recordings, extortion, and other misconduct allegations.*
Investigated the placement of employees into a domestic company by a foreign nation for improper purposes.*
Represented a nonprofit community health center in a comprehensive internal investigation regarding potentially improper referrals, billing practices, employee misconduct, and other alleged regulatory concerns.*
Handled numerous investigations and complaints by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights. Certain complaints against a healthcare facility and doctors involved the alleged discriminatory treatment of a transgender person, and a separate matter involved potential HIPAA and privacy violations. DHHS did not pursue the matters following the group's internal investigations and submissions.*
Represented a pool of employees in a far-ranging Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigation of a global defense contractor’s operations in Southern California, Mexico, and the Middle East.*
Conducted internal investigations for a global company regarding FCPA matters in India, The Republic of South Korea, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.*
Represented doctors and medical staff accused of misconduct in criminal and regulatory investigations.*
Counseled the chief medical officer of a regional hospital system in complex civil litigation between national healthcare systems. Conducted internal investigations of patient death cases (criminal and civil investigations) in skilled nursing facilities, of elder abuse cases (physical and financial) in a variety of different healthcare organizations, and of executive/employee misconduct in academic medical centers and other healthcare organizations. *
Served as counsel to a pool of sales executives at a large pharmaceutical company in a wide-ranging investigation by United States Attorneys Offices (criminal and civil) in numerous federal districts, and by various State Attorneys General Offices regarding the sale of opioid products. *
United States v. Ferguson, 676 F.3d 260 (2nd Cir. 2011) (fraud convictions vacated where district court abused its discretion in admitting stock price data and issuing a jury instruction directing verdict based upon causation).*
United States v. Nguyen, 81 F.3d 912 (9th Cir. 1996) (upholding convictions where credit cards possessed by the defendant were "access devices" within meaning of the statute).*
*Representation provided prior to joining ADK.
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Author, "Managing Regret: Rule 502, the Disclosure of Privileged Material and Clawbacks,” Daily Journal
Panelist, “Judiciary Under Attack: Confronting Disinformation, Fake News and Online Attacks,” Court Leadership Academy & Conference
“The Mitigation Station: Fraud, Security and Compliance,” CFO Leadership Council Compliance Webinar
“What Health Care Executives Should Know About EKRA,” Vedder Price Webinar