Mark E. Bini

"Mark Bini is an incredible communicator with the ability to provide creative and thoughtful solutions to the most sophisticated problems. He is an absolute legal mastermind when crafting strategy."
Chambers USA, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations client

"He is whip-smart and very effective."
Chambers USA, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations client

"Mark is an excellent investigator and trial lawyer."
Chambers USA, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations client

"Mark is excellent in the courtroom."
Chambers USA, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations client

Mark is a former federal and state prosecutor who represents corporations and individuals in government and internal investigations, criminal and regulatory proceedings, and related civil litigation. He has tried 26 cases, including some of the Department of Justice’s most complex financial fraud trials, and has led numerous multi-year, cross-border investigations. He serves as co-chair of the firm’s Investigations practice.

In private practice, Mark has successfully represented companies and high-net-worth individuals in complex cross-border and white-collar extradition matters. His experience spans investigations involving securities fraud, crypto fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, health care fraud, cybercrime, bank fraud, money laundering, and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) violations.

Mark also has extensive knowledge of regulatory and enforcement issues affecting blockchain-based platforms, cryptocurrencies, and other digital assets. Since joining Reed Smith in 2021, he has represented numerous crypto clients facing regulatory, criminal, and civil issues. As a federal prosecutor, he served as a Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (CHIP) coordinator, leading the office’s response in computer hacking and cryptocurrency fraud cases. He also investigated and prosecuted multiple crypto fraud cases in parallel with the SEC and the CFTC, including cases involving Initial Coin Offering (ICO) and crypto investment fraud.

Prior to joining Reed Smith, Mark served nearly 10 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York and the Middle District of Florida, where he investigated and prosecuted financial and corporate crime. Previously, he was an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for five years. Earlier in his career, Mark clerked for a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and worked at a major law firm handling complex civil litigation and white-collar matters.

While serving in the Eastern District of New York, Mark tried eight cases to verdict, including the first ISIS terrorism trial in the United States and six white-collar trials. He also successfully argued four appeals before the Second Circuit. Mark held multiple leadership roles at the office, including deputy chief of the International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section and CHIP coordinator. He also worked closely with many domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies and regulators, including the FBI, the SEC, the Commerce Department, the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section and Money Laundering & Asset Recovery Section, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, and Brazil’s Ministerio Publico Federal.

Mark is recognized by Chambers USA for white-collar criminal defense. He is a frequent speaker on topics such as securities fraud, cybercrime, and cryptocurrency, delivering lectures to the EDNY Criminal Division and multiple law school classes, and presenting at financial services industry and New York City bar events.

Experience

Representative matters

Internal investigation of a company whose stock is traded on the Nasdaq related to allegations regarding SEC filings.

Internal investigation of a professional sports franchise.

Represented current and former bankers for international investment bank related to a $40 billion securities fraud case in the Southern District of New York, United States v. Hwang et al.

Private practice

Internal investigation of a company whose stock is traded on the Nasdaq related to allegations regarding SEC filings.

Internal investigation of a professional sports franchise.

Represented current and former bankers for international investment bank related to a $40 billion securities fraud case in the Southern District of New York, United States v. Hwang et al.

Represented Estonian national extradited to the United States in a $575 million international cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering case, securing unprecedented pretrial release over DOJ objection. Later, secured a time served sentence for that same defendant after making compelling arguments that there was no actual loss under 2B1.1.

Secured rare Rule 11(c)(1)(C) “time served” plea agreement in SDFL for Florida businessman facing 20-year sentence in what was billed by DOJ as the nation’s largest health care fraud case.

Secured “time served” sentence for foreign businessman charged in $10 million money laundering and FDA fraud scheme.

Represented Brazilian businessman from whom DOJ seized $7 million and threatened criminal indictment and forfeiture. After multiple presentations, DOJ and the SDFL did not go forward on charges and released all of our client’s funds back to him.

Secured rare SEC investigation termination letter for investment adviser client, with no enforcement action or penalty recommended.

Secured another SEC investigation termination letter for a different investment adviser client, with no enforcement action or penalty recommended, in a “bet-the-company” investigation.

Represented executives who previously worked at Terra Luna in connection with government investigations related to collapse of the world’s largest algorithmic stablecoin.

Represent foreign real estate executive victim in a complex, multimillion-dollar fraudulent real estate deal in the United States involving domestic and international investors.

Conducted internal investigation for leading global investment bank, uncovering and obtaining confessions of over $4 million in misappropriated funds by portfolio company CEO and CFO.

Representing former banker in DOJ Antitrust investigation related to the Archegos Capital collapse, advising on potential criminal price-fixing allegations involving standstill agreements among global banks.

Advising U.S. artificial intelligence company that inadvertently profited $12 million from a fraudulent loan transaction, assisting with collateral and recovery issues.

Advising global e-commerce platform on dawn raid preparedness and developed audit and investigation protocols for federal agency inquiries worldwide.

Represented board member of blockchain analytics company in corporate governance dispute, orchestrating successful proxy fight and board expansion to reverse founder’s actions.

Securities fraud and cyber fraud

United States v. Mitchell et al. – trial conviction of a stock promoter for a $130 million NASDAQ securities fraud and market manipulation scheme. Eight other defendants pled guilty prior to trial.

United States v. Discala et al. – trial conviction of former minor celebrity who led a $95 million stock market manipulation scheme.

United States v. Petrossi – trial conviction of an investment adviser for investment adviser and securities fraud.

United States v. Willner – conviction of a day trader located in the United States who traded securities in concert with overseas co-conspirators who hacked into victims’ accounts at major brokerage firms to steal millions of dollars in a securities short selling scheme. The day trader paid a portion of his illicit gains to a co-conspirator via bitcoin.

Cross-border, FCPA and money laundering

United States v. Sargeant Marine Inc. – corporate guilty plea to FCPA charges and $16.6 million penalty for a Boca Raton based asphalt company that paid more than $5 million in bribes to foreign political officials in Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador to win hundreds of millions of dollars in business. The corporate guilty plea resulted from a three-year investigation and guilty pleas by eight individuals to FCPA and money laundering charges.

United States v. Vitol Inc. – corporate deferred prosecution agreement to FCPA charges for U.S. affiliate of one of largest energy trading firms in the world. Vitol Inc. paid more than $163 million to resolve with the EDNY, DOJ and a parallel investigation in Brazil. Vitol admitted to paying millions in bribes to foreign officials in Brazil, Ecuador and Mexico to win business in those countries.

United States v. a subsidiary of a major international bank – individual guilty pleas to wire fraud and money laundering charges by three former bankers in connection with a $2 billion syndicated loan and bond offering fraud scheme involving U.S. and international victim investors, where more than $200 million was misappropriated for bribes and kickbacks, including $50 million in kickbacks to the investment bankers. The investigation and prosecutions led to a subsidiary of the financial institution pleading guilty to wire fraud in connection with the case, and the financial institution agreeing to pay approximately $547 million in penalties, fines and disgorgement as part of coordinated resolutions with criminal and civil authorities in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Recognitions

Ranked in Chambers USA for Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (2025)
“Highly recommended” in 2023 edition of the Latin Lawyer 250 – Corporate and M&A
Named on City & State NY’s Responsible 100 list

Credentials

Education

Fordham University School of Law, J.D., cum laude
University of Virginia, B.A.

Professional admissions & qualifications

New York
Florida

Court admissions

U.S. District Court - Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court - Eastern District of New York
U.S. Court of Appeals - Second Circuit
Supreme Court

Professional affiliations

Member, Federal Bar Council
Board member and audit committee chair, AHRC NYC, a non-profit that is one of the largest service providers for the developmentally disabled in New York City.