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Idea Exchange
Jonathan Etra
Partner
21st Floor
Miami, FL 33131
Jonathan Etra represents business clients in complex litigation matters, with an emphasis on the prosecution and defense of civil racketeering, fraud, receiverships, partnership disputes, as well as legal malpractice defense and Bank Secrecy Act compliance.
Mr. Etra’s practice includes a broad range of white collar defense matters, representing targets, subjects, and witnesses in grand jury and...
Jonathan Etra represents business clients in complex litigation matters, with an emphasis on the prosecution and defense of civil racketeering, fraud, receiverships, partnership disputes, as well as legal malpractice defense and Bank Secrecy Act compliance.
Mr. Etra’s practice includes a broad range of white collar defense matters, representing targets, subjects, and witnesses in grand jury and regulatory proceedings. He is also called upon to provide assistance in asset forfeiture cases.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Etra served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he investigated, prosecuted, and tried cases involving securities fraud, tax fraud, bank fraud, healthcare fraud, asset forfeiture, and organized crime. He also participated in the Department of Justice’s terrorism investigations following the September 11 attacks.
During his six-and-a-half years as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Etra’s trials included: the prosecution of the nation’s first racketeering case involving the infiltration of the mortgage lending industry by a La Cosa Nostra organized crime family; the prosecution of multiple members and associates of organized crime for securities fraud, mail fraud, health care fraud, and tax fraud; the prosecution of a foreign national arising out of the kidnapping of a former Soviet minister; the prosecution of a foreign national for assault of a foreign minister just outside the United Nations; and the prosecution of a foreign national for participating in an anthrax hoax in the wake of 9/11.
Mr. Etra argued appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and he served as a Trial Instructor for the Department of Justice.
Mr. Etra has appeared as a television commentator on white collar defense and investigation matters.
regulatory proceedings. He is also called upon to provide assistance in asset forfeiture cases.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Etra served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he investigated, prosecuted, and tried cases involving securities fraud, tax fraud, bank fraud, healthcare fraud, asset forfeiture, and organized crime. He also participated in the Department of Justice’s terrorism investigations following the September 11 attacks.
During his six-and-a-half years as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Etra’s trials included: the prosecution of the nation’s first racketeering case involving the infiltration of the mortgage lending industry by a La Cosa Nostra organized crime family; the prosecution of multiple members and associates of organized crime for securities fraud, mail fraud, health care fraud, and tax fraud; the prosecution of a foreign national arising out of the kidnapping of a former Soviet minister; the prosecution of a foreign national for assault of a foreign minister just outside the United Nations; and the prosecution of a foreign national for participating in an anthrax hoax in the wake of 9/11.
Mr. Etra argued appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and he served as a Trial Instructor for the Department of Justice.
Mr. Etra has appeared as a television commentator on white collar defense and investigation matters.
Experience
Professional Experience
- Represented former officers of public company in defense of billion dollar civil RICO claims
- Represented former officer of a public company and the main target in largest federal grand jury investigation in the investigating district; represented officer in parallel SEC investigation and civil litigations
- Represented victim of securities fraud in lawsuit against perpetrators; defense pleadings stricken due to discovery fraud, perjury, and witness tampering
- Represented securities trader in grand jury investigation
- Represented alleged feeder for Madoff Ponzi scheme in civil litigation, bankruptcy proceedings, and grand jury investigation
- Represented witnesses before grand jury and supervising federal court on Government challenges to Fifth Amendment assertions
- Represented alleged feeder for Florida-based Ponzi scheme in civil litigation and grand jury investigation
- Represented airline pilot charged with securities fraud
- Represented federal court receiver in lawsuit arising from a failed $500 million hedge fund
- Represented Venezuelan national in forfeiture proceedings over seized private jet
- Represented internet advertising company in restrictive covenant, trade secret, and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act claims against offshore former officer
- Represented victim of New York-based Ponzi scheme in prosecuting claims against financial institutions in federal court and in FINRA arbitration
- Represented former officers of Puerto Rican bank in defense of claims by borrowers
- Represented medical device manufacturer in trademark and counterfeiting claims involving public safety
- Represented chain of nursing homes in defense of parallel qui tam and private civil litigation cases
- Represented liquidation committee of offshore bank in RICO claims against former consultant
- Represented Am Law 100 law firm in legal malpractice case
- Represented numerous targets, subjects, and witnesses in federal grand jury and regulatory proceedings and investigations
Previous Professional Experience
- Partner, Ferrell Law LLP (2008-2009)
- Partner, Tew Cardenas LLP (2003-2008)
- Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Criminal Division (1997-2003)
- Associate, Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP (1991-1996)
Education
-
Columbia Law School,
JD
(1991)
- Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
- Articles Editor, Journal of Transnational Law
- Columbia College, BA, Political Science (1988)
Admissions
- Florida
- New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Professional Experience
- Represented former officers of public company in defense of billion dollar civil RICO claims
- Represented former officer of a public company and the main target in largest federal grand jury investigation in the investigating district; represented officer in parallel SEC investigation and civil litigations
- Represented victim of securities fraud in lawsuit against perpetrators; defense pleadings stricken due to discovery fraud, perjury, and witness tampering
- Represented securities trader in grand jury investigation
- Represented alleged feeder for Madoff Ponzi scheme in civil litigation, bankruptcy proceedings, and grand jury investigation
- Represented witnesses before grand jury and supervising federal court on Government challenges to Fifth Amendment assertions
- Represented alleged feeder for Florida-based Ponzi scheme in civil litigation and grand jury investigation
- Represented airline pilot charged with securities fraud
- Represented federal court receiver in lawsuit arising from a failed $500 million hedge fund
- Represented Venezuelan national in forfeiture proceedings over seized private jet
- Represented internet advertising company in restrictive covenant, trade secret, and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act claims against offshore former officer
- Represented victim of New York-based Ponzi scheme in prosecuting claims against financial institutions in federal court and in FINRA arbitration
- Represented former officers of Puerto Rican bank in defense of claims by borrowers
- Represented medical device manufacturer in trademark and counterfeiting claims involving public safety
- Represented chain of nursing homes in defense of parallel qui tam and private civil litigation cases
- Represented liquidation committee of offshore bank in RICO claims against former consultant
- Represented Am Law 100 law firm in legal malpractice case
- Represented numerous targets, subjects, and witnesses in federal grand jury and regulatory proceedings and investigations
Previous Professional Experience
- Partner, Ferrell Law LLP (2008-2009)
- Partner, Tew Cardenas LLP (2003-2008)
- Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Criminal Division (1997-2003)
- Associate, Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP (1991-1996)
Articles & Speeches
Recognitions
- Chambers USA: A Guide to America’s Leading Business Lawyers, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (2019)
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Florida Super Lawyer (2013-2019)
Community
- Chairman of the Board, Family Resource Center of South Florida
- Board of Directors, American Jewish Committee for Dade and Broward Counties, Florida
Jonathan Etra represents business clients in complex litigation matters, with an emphasis on the prosecution and defense of civil racketeering, fraud, receiverships, partnership disputes, as well as legal malpractice defense and Bank Secrecy Act compliance.
Mr. Etra’s practice includes a broad range of white collar defense matters, representing targets, subjects, and witnesses in grand jury and... regulatory proceedings. He is also called upon to provide assistance in asset forfeiture cases.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Etra served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he investigated, prosecuted, and tried cases involving securities fraud, tax fraud, bank fraud, healthcare fraud, asset forfeiture, and organized crime. He also participated in the Department of Justice’s terrorism investigations following the September 11 attacks.
During his six-and-a-half years as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Etra’s trials included: the prosecution of the nation’s first racketeering case involving the infiltration of the mortgage lending industry by a La Cosa Nostra organized crime family; the prosecution of multiple members and associates of organized crime for securities fraud, mail fraud, health care fraud, and tax fraud; the prosecution of a foreign national arising out of the kidnapping of a former Soviet minister; the prosecution of a foreign national for assault of a foreign minister just outside the United Nations; and the prosecution of a foreign national for participating in an anthrax hoax in the wake of 9/11.
Mr. Etra argued appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and he served as a Trial Instructor for the Department of Justice.
Mr. Etra has appeared as a television commentator on white collar defense and investigation matters.
Experience
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.Professional Experience
- Represented former officers of public company in defense of billion dollar civil RICO claims
- Represented former officer of a public company and the main target in largest federal grand jury investigation in the investigating district; represented officer in parallel SEC investigation and civil litigations
- Represented victim of securities fraud in lawsuit against perpetrators; defense pleadings stricken due to discovery fraud, perjury, and witness tampering
- Represented securities trader in grand jury investigation
- Represented alleged feeder for Madoff Ponzi scheme in civil litigation, bankruptcy proceedings, and grand jury investigation
- Represented witnesses before grand jury and supervising federal court on Government challenges to Fifth Amendment assertions
- Represented alleged feeder for Florida-based Ponzi scheme in civil litigation and grand jury investigation
- Represented airline pilot charged with securities fraud
- Represented federal court receiver in lawsuit arising from a failed $500 million hedge fund
- Represented Venezuelan national in forfeiture proceedings over seized private jet
- Represented internet advertising company in restrictive covenant, trade secret, and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act claims against offshore former officer
- Represented victim of New York-based Ponzi scheme in prosecuting claims against financial institutions in federal court and in FINRA arbitration
- Represented former officers of Puerto Rican bank in defense of claims by borrowers
- Represented medical device manufacturer in trademark and counterfeiting claims involving public safety
- Represented chain of nursing homes in defense of parallel qui tam and private civil litigation cases
- Represented liquidation committee of offshore bank in RICO claims against former consultant
- Represented Am Law 100 law firm in legal malpractice case
- Represented numerous targets, subjects, and witnesses in federal grand jury and regulatory proceedings and investigations
Previous Professional Experience
- Partner, Ferrell Law LLP (2008-2009)
- Partner, Tew Cardenas LLP (2003-2008)
- Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Criminal Division (1997-2003)
- Associate, Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP (1991-1996)
Education
-
Columbia Law School,
JD
(1991)
- Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
- Articles Editor, Journal of Transnational Law
- Columbia College, BA, Political Science (1988)
Admissions
- Florida
- New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Practice Areas
- Chambers USA: A Guide to America’s Leading Business Lawyers, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (2019)
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Florida Super Lawyer (2013-2019)
- Chairman of the Board, Family Resource Center of South Florida
- Board of Directors, American Jewish Committee for Dade and Broward Counties, Florida
Highlights from the Firm’s Idea Exchange
