King & Spalding today announced that Craig Carpenito, until earlier this month the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, has joined as a partner in the firm’s Special Matters and Government Investigations practice group in the New York office.

As the U.S. Attorney, Carpenito oversaw all federal criminal prosecutions and civil matters in New Jersey. Under Carpenito’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s office handled some of the nation’s most significant healthcare and life sciences prosecutions, accounting, commodities and financial fraud actions, and other investigations related to trading exchanges, spoofing, cyber crime, telemedicine, and genetic testing, as well as matters involving key federal enforcement statutes, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, False Claims Act, and Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. During his tenure, Carpenito also chaired the Department of Justice’s national COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force and was a member of the Attorney General’s advisory subcommittees on healthcare fraud and cyber security and cryptocurrencies.

“Craig has built an impeccable reputation in the industry through his leadership at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, his work at the SEC, and his complementary private practice experience,” said Zach Fardon, chair of King & Spalding’s Government Matters practice group. “Craig’s work spearheading trials and investigations in the healthcare and financial services industries will make him an invaluable asset to companies in those sectors facing government scrutiny.”

“The financial services and healthcare sectors are an engine of the tristate area’s economy, particularly New Jersey, where there are more than 11,000 financial services businesses and where the top 20 pharmaceutical companies are headquartered,” added Edward Kehoe, managing partner of King & Spalding’s New York office. “Craig’s arrival supports our strategy in New York to continue to provide our clients with unparalleled expertise in these industries.”

Prior to his government service, Carpenito was a partner at a national firm’s New York office where he rose to co-chair of the firm’s Litigation and Trial Practice Group and also led its White Collar, Government and Internal Investigations team. His practice focused on financial services, healthcare, government and internal investigations, and regulatory enforcement matters. Carpenito also handled complex civil and securities litigation.

Before that, Carpenito served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and began his career in public service as senior counsel in the New York office of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement.

“King & Spalding’s government investigations and litigation practices are widely-regarded as world-class, with an extraordinary group of partners known for handling the hardest cases with skill and class,” Carpenito said. “I am excited to expand this diversified practice in the New Jersey-New York markets, across the United States and globally.”

Carpenito received his undergraduate degree from Rider University and his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law.