Overview
Ryan P. Poscablo is chair of Steptoe's Investigations and White-Collar Defense group. An experienced criminal defense lawyer, corporate litigator, and former federal prosecutor, he represents companies and individuals before the US Department of Justice (DOJ), various state attorneys general, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Ryan also advises clients on white-collar antitrust matters before the European Union and various regulatory agencies worldwide.
Clients benefit from his experience in criminal cases involving securities and commodities fraud, corporate embezzlement and theft, Medicare fraud, bid-rigging, bribery, and kleptocracy. He has conducted investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act.
Ryan has counseled companies on compliance issues and has served as the independent compliance consultant for a global financial institution and a domestic financial company. He has been retained by Boards of Directors and Audit Committees to conduct independent investigations of misconduct.
Ryan also has extensive experience representing colleges, universities, and secondary institutions in investigations and litigation involving Titles IX, VI, and VII, as well as other alleged misconduct. He has counseled academic institutions on issues related to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and various issues related to athletics.
In addition to his criminal and compliance-related experience, Ryan has significant civil experience. He has defended Fortune 500 companies in national class action litigations and represented global investment management firms in investigations and litigation involving LIBOR, foreign exchange, and residential mortgage-backed securities.
Prior to returning to private practice, Ryan spent six years as an assistant US attorney for the US Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York. During this time, he conducted numerous investigations that led to charges for bank, wire, mortgage, and tax fraud, as well as identify theft, Medicare and healthcare fraud, and money laundering. A trial lawyer by training, he led multi-defendant investigations resulting in convictions for racketeering, terrorism, fraud, and violent crime. He won all 12 significant criminal trials he handled as lead counsel or co-lead counsel.
- New York
- Supreme Court of the United States
- US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- US District Court, Eastern District of New York
- US District Court, Southern District of New York
- Hon. George B. Daniels, US District Court, Southern District of New York
- Hon. Stanley R. Chesler, US District Court, District of New Jersey
- J.D., Fordham University School of Law, 2001
- M.P.P., Harvard University, 1998, John F. Kennedy School of Government
- B.A., Columbia University, 1995, Political Science
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
Investigations / Compliance
- Represented a global energy company in FCPA investigation by the DOJ.
- Served as independent compliance consultant for prominent global financial institution after settlements with the SEC and the CFTC regarding the collection and retention of employee electronic communications.
- Served as independent compliance consultant for financial company after settlements with the SEC and the CFTC.
- Conducted an internal investigation for Board of Directors of publicly-traded global fintech company in response to allegations of fraud by SEC and DOJ.
- Advised a cryptocurrency company on anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions compliance program in response to investigation by DOJ, SEC, and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
- Advised a fintech company on AML and sanctions issues in response to inquiries by DOJ and FinCEN.
- Advised global investment firm regarding regulatory matters involving the SEC and the CFTC.
- Reviewed and revised AML and sanctions compliance program for investment management firm.
Criminal Defense of Individuals
- In US v. Mingqing Xiao, obtained acquittal of grant fraud charges after trial for a Chinese professor charged under the DOJ's China Initiativein the Southern District of Illinois.
- In US v. Harold Bendelstein, obtained probation for medical doctor charged with healthcare fraud after multi-week trial in the Eastern District of New York.
- In US v. Frank Soohoo, obtained probation for a Chief Executive Officer in a corruption investigation in the Southern District of New York.
- In US v. Jacob Moritz, obtained a sentence of time-served for client charged with marijuana trafficking in 1989; the client was arrested after spending 30 years as a fugitive.
- Represented a former global automotive company executive charged with bribery in the Central District of California.
- Represented the Chief Compliance Officer of cryptocurrency company under investigation by DOJ, SEC, CFTC and New York Attorney General.
- Represented the Chief Executive Officer of cryptocurrency company in investigation by DOJ and the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service.
- Represented the Chief Executive Officer of technology company indicted for fraud in the Southern District of New York.
- Represented the Chief Executive Officer of media company charged with securities fraud in the Eastern District of New York.
- Represented the former director of investment company charged with securities fraud in the Southern District of New York.
- Provided pro bono representation in the Southern District of New York of victim in US v. Larry Ray; the defendant was charged with leading a cult at Sarah Lawrence College.
Civil Litigation
- Served as lead trial counsel for an Asia-based financial institution in litigation in the Southern District of New York.
- Represented a Major League Baseball team in class action litigation involving the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Litigated matters nationally for global investment firm.
- Served as trial counsel for investors in federal securities fraud lawsuit.
- Served as trial counsel in class action securities litigation against an underwriter, alleging violations of Sections 11 and 12 of the Securities Act.
Higher Education
- Conducted a Title IX investigation for public university involving allegations of rape, sexual assault, and harassment by multiple tenured faculty members.
- Advised nationally-ranked residential liberal arts college concerning various civil rights claims made by students, faculty, and administrators.
- Conducted investigations for nationally-ranked residential liberal arts college in claims asserting violations of Title IX, Title VII, and other discriminatory laws.
- Represented renowned private research university in Title IX and associated claims in federal district court.
- Advised colleges on admissions policies after Supreme Court decisions in SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. University of North Carolina.
- Conducted internal investigation of sexual harassment claims for a nationally-acclaimed K-12 private boarding school.
- Developed and implement an athletic compliance program for leading public university.
- Assisted public university in responding to an athletic Title IX investigation by the Office of Civil Rights.
Speaking Engagements
- Lead panelist, "Advising Clients with Insider Trading Issues," Practising Law Institute's Insider Trading Law 2024 Symposium, October 10, 2024
News & Publications
Investigations & Enforcement Blog
US Supreme Court Further Constricts Fraud Prosecutions with Thompson Decision
April 14, 2025
Client Alerts
Administration Dismantles Department of Education
March 25, 2025
By: Dwight J. Draughon, Jr., Patrick F. Linehan, Karima Maloney, Ryan P. Poscablo, Alex Wolf, Brittney Denley
Client Alerts
States Sue Over Department of Education's Workforce Reduction Plan
March 19, 2025
By: Dwight J. Draughon, Jr., Patrick F. Linehan, Ryan P. Poscablo, Alex Wolf, Ciara Davis, Brittney Denley
Client Alerts
March 18, 2025
By: Dwight J. Draughon, Jr., Michelle Kallen, Patrick F. Linehan, Karima Maloney, Ryan P. Poscablo, Alex Wolf, Brittney Denley, Lillian Stevens, Mahogane Reed
Client Alerts
An Overview of OCR's February 14, 2025 "Dear Colleague" Letter and its Implications
February 21, 2025
By: Brittney Denley, Dwight J. Draughon, Jr., Tyler Evans, Patrick F. Linehan, Karima Maloney, Ryan P. Poscablo, Alex Wolf
Client Alerts
US Supreme Court Holds Race-Based University Admissions Programs Unconstitutional
June 30, 2023
By: Ryan P. Poscablo, Brigida Benitez, Eric Berman, Dwight J. Draughon, Jr., Patrick F. Linehan, Shannon Reid, Brittney Denley
Client Alerts
COVID-19 Relief Bill Includes Concerning Provision for Certain Colleges and Universities
January 13, 2021
Press Releases
Former SDNY Assistant US Attorney Ryan Poscablo Joins Steptoe in New York
December 15, 2020
Resources
Client Alerts
FCPA/Anti-Corruption Developments: 2022 Year in Review
February 24, 2023
By: Iris E. Bennett
Events
Webinars
Adapting to Sweeping Changes in Higher Education
April 22, 2025
Speakers: Ryan P. Poscablo, Dwight J. Draughon, Jr., Tyler Evans, Alex Wolf, Patrick F. Linehan, Matt Lahey
Rachel Pereira
Webinars
April 20, 2021
Speakers: Ryan P. Poscablo, Ellen Blain (Co-Chief, Civil Rights Unit, United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York); Alvin Bragg (Visiting Professor and Co-Director, Racial Justice Project, New York Law School; and former New York State Chief Deputy Attorney General); Mimi Rocah (District Attorney, Westchester County); Tim Sini (District Attorney, Suffolk County); Christina Yang (General Counsel & Pro Bono Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles)
Noteworthy
- Coro Fellow in Public Affairs
- Super Lawyers, New York, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Business Litigation (2018-2023)
- Super Lawyers, New York (2018-2020)
- Certified Civil Rights Investigator (Level IV), Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA)
- Woodrow Wilson Fellowship in International Affairs and Public Policy
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Federal Bar Council
- Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
- National Filipino American Lawyers Association
- Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
- National Association of College and University Attorneys
- New York City Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association