The Trump administration continues to raise the stakes for importers and other actors in the international trade space. Bloomberg Law reports that the Department of Justice has tasked its MIMF (Market Integrity and Major Frauds) Unit with investigating fraud schemes by companies dodging U.S. tariffs. The MIMF Unit is already well-versed in financial fraud investigations, is set to grow significantly with the addition of prosecutors previously assigned to consumer protection matters, and now is shifting resources to tariff evasion cases.

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Photo of Maria Vanikiotis Maria Vanikiotis

Maria Vanikiotis is a counsel in the International Trade Group of Crowell & Moring and resident in the firm’s New York office.

Maria has experience in a variety of matters related to the movement of goods across international borders, including problem-solving for importers

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Maria Vanikiotis is a counsel in the International Trade Group of Crowell & Moring and resident in the firm’s New York office.

Maria has experience in a variety of matters related to the movement of goods across international borders, including problem-solving for importers facing Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs, classification of merchandise under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, first sale appraisement programs, free trade agreement origin verifications, country of origin analyses, and other regulatory issues.

Before joining Crowell & Moring, Maria worked for a boutique law firm in New York focusing on customs law and, while in law school, Maria was employed as a summer associate in the Brussels office of a large international law firm on matters related to antitrust and competition law within the European Union. As a law student, Maria published a note comparing collective action approaches to antitrust cases in the U.S., U.K., and E.U., for which she won an award for outstanding legal writing. In addition, Maria was an active and accomplished member of both the Fordham International Law Journal and the Dispute Resolution Society.

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Photo of Derek Hahn Derek Hahn

Derek Hahn is a partner in Crowell & Moring’s White Collar & Regulatory Enforcement Group and a member of the firm’s Investigation Practice. Derek’s practice focuses on white collar defense, internal investigations, complex litigation, and compliance counseling.  He represents clients in an array…

Derek Hahn is a partner in Crowell & Moring’s White Collar & Regulatory Enforcement Group and a member of the firm’s Investigation Practice. Derek’s practice focuses on white collar defense, internal investigations, complex litigation, and compliance counseling.  He represents clients in an array of government investigations and enforcement actions alleging financial fraud, public corruption, conflicts of interest, counterfeiting, procurement integrity, and health care fraud. Derek has also defended clients in several multi-million dollar environmental enforcement matters at both the federal and state level.

Derek has extensive experience managing matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) having counseled clients in multiple industries on FCPA matters across six continents. His FCPA experience includes government and internal investigations, third-party due diligence reviews, compliance program and training development, and anti-corruption risk assessments. He has defended multiple FCPA investigations brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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Photo of Preston Pugh Preston Pugh

Preston Pugh helps companies, board committees and large organizations conduct internal investigations and respond to government investigations, often stemming from high stakes whistleblower complaints. He is a partner at Crowell & Moring and co-leads its False Claims Act Practice. For more than 20…

Preston Pugh helps companies, board committees and large organizations conduct internal investigations and respond to government investigations, often stemming from high stakes whistleblower complaints. He is a partner at Crowell & Moring and co-leads its False Claims Act Practice. For more than 20 years, he has helped clients navigate many different types of crises—including commercial and government contract fraud investigations; C-suite corporate ethics concerns; whistleblower retaliation claims; broad-based harassment and discrimination complaints; investigations by Congress; and related litigation. He has been recognized by the Legal 500 for his work in investigations.

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Photo of Sharmistha Das Sharmistha Das

Sharmi Das’ experience at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), the White House, the U.S. Senate, and private practice positions her to guide clients through regulatory challenges, government-facing issues, and scrutiny from Congress and other oversight bodies. Sharmi has

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Sharmi Das’ experience at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), the White House, the U.S. Senate, and private practice positions her to guide clients through regulatory challenges, government-facing issues, and scrutiny from Congress and other oversight bodies. Sharmi has handled dozens of congressional inquiries and managed a program that developed hundreds of regulatory actions relating to homeland security matters, including technology, cybersecurity, contracts and grants, intelligence, health, and immigration. She participated in hundreds of policy discussions at the White House and DHS on high-profile issues that were often in the headlines, including domestic and international crises and emergencies.

Sharmi brings over a decade of experience analyzing statutory and regulatory text to both challenge and defend agency actions in litigation. She uses her knowledge of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and federal rulemaking process to help clients shape regulatory authorities, comply with them, and challenge them. In both the executive and legislative branches, Sharmi crafted strategies to resolve inquiries from the Hill, other federal oversight bodies, and the public, often under immense public scrutiny.

Sharmi was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the Secretary of Homeland Security for exceptional service, the Department’s highest civilian honor. She was also recognized as an honorary Judge Advocate General by the U.S. Coast Guard. Sharmi values public service and maintains a diverse pro bono practice, including her time seconded to the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.

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Photo of Alexander J. Kramer Alexander J. Kramer

Alexander J. Kramer is a partner in the White Collar and Regulatory Enforcement Group, bringing a wealth of experience from his distinguished career at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Alex has extensive experience in white collar crime and investigations, including the…

Alexander J. Kramer is a partner in the White Collar and Regulatory Enforcement Group, bringing a wealth of experience from his distinguished career at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Alex has extensive experience in white collar crime and investigations, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and anti-corruption issues, health care fraud, significant fraud by government contractors, public companies, financial institutions, and other entities dealing with the DOJ, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and related parallel enforcement actions.

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