All articles tagged with #sdny
The New Mexico attorney general says the DoJ missed a July 31 deadline to provide unredacted Epstein-related records from Zorro Ranch, delivering only about 31 heavily redacted pages; SDNY claims it already sent 31 documents, while Torrez warns of legal action as the dormant Zorro Ranch inquiry remains unresolved and access to potential co-conspirators and leads is blocked.
James McDonald will assume day-to-day leadership of the Manhattan SDNY starting July 14 while Jay Clayton remains the titleholder and focuses on his confirmation to become director of national intelligence; the transition moves ahead before Senate sign-off after Trump altered the timing of the DNI process.
Manhattan prosecutors welcomed James McDonald—an internal favorite with a track record at SDNY and links to the CFTC and Trump-era efforts—as the new head of the Southern District of New York, hoping his reputation for integrity would steady the office amid concerns it could be led by a political ally or an unqualified appointee; some colleagues praise his credentials while others note his ongoing representation of Trump raises questions about independence.
President Donald Trump has tapped James M. McDonald to serve as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, taking over the post from Jay Clayton (announcement updated June 13, 2026).
President Donald Trump named James McDonald, a former Manhattan prosecutor and close ally, the next U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, replacing Jay Clayton. McDonald’s nomination comes after months of speculation and comes with questions about whether he’ll be nominated by the Senate or installed as acting U.S. attorney. The move could relieve Manhattan prosecutors worried about an inexperienced Trump loyalist running the powerful office, and follows Clayton’s tenure that included cases like the Maduro drug-trafficking prosecution and various insider-trading prosecutions. McDonald previously worked at Sullivan & Cromwell and has been involved in Trump’s hush-money appeal.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton’s nomination to run the National Intelligence Director will leave SDNY watching closely for a successor, amid concerns about DOJ influence and Clayton’s outsider status with ties to Trump. While he presided over major matters like Maduro’s narco-terrorism case and early insider-trading prosecutions, his 14-month tenure left leadership gaps, prompting names like Sean Buckley, Nicolas Roos, and James McDonald to circulate as potential replacements and fueling unease about who would steer the storied office through DOJ upheaval.
U.S. prosecutors in SDNY unsealed an indictment charging 10 current and former Sinaloa officials, including the state governor, with conspiring with the Sinaloa Cartel to import fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and meth into the United States and to protect cartel operations in exchange for bribes; one defendant is also charged in relation to kidnapping and killings of a DEA source, illustrating alleged violence and corruption linked to the cartel’s network.
A Manhattan jury convicted brothers Alon, Oren, and Tal Alexander of multiple federal sex offenses, including conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, after testimony from 11 victims. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and law enforcement praised the victims and the jury, underscoring a commitment to ending sex trafficking and urging other victims to report abuse.
Maurene Comey, a former SDNY prosecutor who led high-profile cases including Epstein and Maxwell, joined Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler as a partner to work on white-collar defense and complex civil litigation, months after being fired by the Trump administration and suing to challenge the dismissal.
The Southern District of New York’s premier prosecutors’ office is consumed by reviewing and redacting more than two million Jeffrey Epstein files, with about 125 SDNY lawyers and hundreds from the DOJ working on the effort—often on weekends—potentially delaying other high‑profile cases while officials stress the work is needed to protect victims and ensure proper disclosures.
The DOJ delayed releasing records related to the Stormy Daniels hush money investigation to Michael Cohen for years, but quickly provided 200,000 pages to Donald Trump's legal team, causing chaos in the upcoming Manhattan trial. Cohen and journalist Brian Karem had been seeking these records for over two years, facing resistance from the DOJ. The sudden release of documents has led to accusations of delay tactics and a two-tiered justice system, with Cohen calling for an investigation into the DOJ's actions.