Overview
Andrew Adams, a New York partner, advises companies and individuals in the areas of government and internal investigations, corporate governance, and white collar and regulatory matters. His practice includes a particular focus on anti-money laundering compliance, U.S. economic countermeasures and national security crisis response, drawing on Andrew’s time as the inaugural Director of the Department of Justice's Task Force KleptoCapture, a multi-agency response group focused on the economic sanctions and export controls imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Andrew has investigated, charged, and tried cases with an emphasis on the integrity of financial institutions; transnational organized crime; sophisticated money laundering operations through both traditional and "crypto" platforms; sport integrity, including the first criminal case charged on the basis of the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act; and cases involving looted antiquities and frauds involving the sale of cultural property.
Prior to joining Steptoe, in addition to serving as Director of the Department of Justice's Task Force KleptoCapture, Andrew C. Adams was the acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division of the Department of Justice, with oversight of the Division's sanctions, export control, and national security cyber investigations. Prior to these roles, Adams joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and served as lead prosecutor on several prominent money laundering and racketeering cases. He also became co-chief of that Office's Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit, leading a team of prosecutors engaged at the nexus of sophisticated transnational crime and opaque financial networks, and served as one of the District's asset forfeiture coordinators, advising Assistant U.S. Attorneys across the Office on civil and criminal forfeiture matters.
Before his work for the Department of Justice, Andrew worked as a litigation associate in an international law firm headquartered in New York.
- New York
- Hon. John M. Walker, Jr., US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- Hon. Mary A. McLaughlin , US District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 2008
- B.A., University of Texas, Austin, 2004
Areas of Work
Speaking Engagements
- "Positioning Your Program in Anticipation of Expanded China Sanctions and Export Controls," 9th Annual Canadian Forum on Global Economic Sanctions, Toronto, February 26-27, 2025
- Managing the Convergence of Economic Sanctions, Export Controls and AML Amid Intensifying Enforcement, 14th New York Forum on Economic Sanctions, American Conference Institute, New York, NY, December 4, 2024
- Sanctions Developments in the US and UK, Co-Hosted Program, Steptoe, London Sanctions Advisors Association (LSAA), and Consilio, New York, NY, June 27, 2024
- National Security, Sanctions, and Export Controls: Compliance, Investigations, and Enforcement Conference, Sandpiper Program, Sandpiper Partners LLC, New York City, NY, May 23, 2024
- Coming off Sanctions Lists: De-listing by Courts & Governments in the UK, EU and US, Global Sanctions Webinar, Global Sanctions, Virtual webinar, May 8, 2024
- Sanctions Enforcement and Cryptocurrency, DC Chapter: Fourth Annual Government Investigations Seminar, Federal Bar Association, Washington, DC, February 6, 2024
- Breakfast with Former DOJ Official Andrew Adams, Steptoe and London Sanctions Advisors Association, London, UK, January 31, 2024
- "What Changes to Expect to Money Laundering Regulations," Arts and Antiquities: AML in 2024, January 18, 2024
- "Co-chair Opening Remarks," ACI's New York Economic Sanction Forum, December 13, 2023
- "Workshop B – China "Get Ready" Exercises: How to Prepare Your Organization for The Next Wave of Challenges Posed by the U.S.-China Relationship," ACI's New York Economic Sanction Forum, December 12, 2023
- Moderator, "Sanctions and Export Controls Enforcement Trends in the United States," GIR Live: Annual Sanctions AML Meeting 2023, November 16, 2023
- "Ethical Considerations in Investigations: JPMC," Private CLE Program, Steptoe and JPMC, November 14, 2023
- "Forfeiture Investigations and Procedures: An Art Market Overview," Private CLE Program, Steptoe, November 14, 2023
- "An Insider's Perspective on DOJ," Online Webinar, Steptoe, November 8, 2023
- "Economic Statecraft and Armed Conflict," University of Maryland Carey School of Law's 2023 Symposium: Economic Statecraft in a Multipolar World, November 3, 2023
- "Economic Sanctions and Export Controls," Investigations & Enforcement Series, Online Webinar Series, Steptoe, October 19, 2023
- "Keynote Interview with OFAC and FinCEN," 2nd Forum on Digital Assets Compliance: AML, Sanctions and Regulatory Oversight, October 18, 2023
- "AI and Cybercrime Unleash a New Era of Menacing Threats, Are You Ready for Them?," GDS Security Digital Summit, September 19, 2023
News & Publications
Blockchain Blog
Deputy Attorney General Memorandum: "Ending Regulation by Prosecution"
April 11, 2025
By: Marlon Paz, Andrew C. Adams, Evan T. Abrams, Galen Kast, Ryan Hayden, Sophia Breggia
International Compliance Blog
Trump Imposes Novel “Secondary Tariffs” on Countries Importing Venezuelan Oil and Petroleum Products
March 31, 2025
By: Steptoe's Economic Sanctions Practice
International Compliance Blog
Treasury Department Delists Tornado Cash Following the Fifth Circuit’s Decision
March 25, 2025
By: Steptoe's Economic Sanctions and Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Practices
Publications
OFAC Sanctions and Digital Assets: Regulation, Compliance, and Recent Developments
Global Legal Insights
October 2024
By: David M. Stetson, Evan T. Abrams, Andrew C. Adams, Sophia Breggia
Stepwise Risk Outlook
October 17, 2024
Media Mentions
The Anti-Corruption Report Quotes Andrew Adams on Recent Export Controls Enforcement Actions
September 25, 2024
Media Mentions
August 28, 2024
Press Releases
Steptoe Achieves Full Dismissal for Client Jordan Willing in "Dinosaur Bones Case"
August 22, 2024
Resources
Events
Webinars
AI, Data & Digital Roundtable on IP and Trade Secrets Issues Related to AI
November 20, 2024
Speakers: Andrew C. Adams, Anne-Gabrielle Haie, Christopher Suarez
Seminars & Events
Disputes, Investigations & Regulatory Enforcement Seminar
April 17, 2024 - April 18, 2024
Speakers: Andrew C. Adams, Shaun Boedicker, Karen Bruni, Claudia Wilson Frost, Samantha Jarvis, N. Hunter Johnston, John Kinchen, Karima Maloney, Daniel A. Mullen, Crystal Robles, Craig Smyser, Jacquelyn Rex Tobin, Larry Veselka, Eugene Zilberman, Jarod Stewart
Webinars
An Insider's Perspective on DOJ with Andrew Adams
November 8, 2023
Speaker: Andrew C. Adams
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
October 19, 2023
Speakers: Andrew C. Adams, Jason Abel, Iris E. Bennett, Christopher R. Conte, Patrick F. Linehan, John J. Kavanagh, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Previous Employment
- Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division, U.S. Department of Justice (2023)
- Director, Task Force KleptoCapture, Office of the Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice (2022 - 2023)
- Co-Chief, Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit, United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York (2018 - 2022)
- Deputy Chief, Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Unit, United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York (2017 - 2018)
- Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York (2013 - 2023)