Scott Armstrong

Federal Trial Lawyer | White-Collar Criminal Defense | Complex Litigation

Founding Partner

Scott@abdclegal.com

202-803-7907

Scott Armstrong is a former Assistant Chief at the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section and an accomplished federal trial lawyer who has tried sixteen complex cases in federal courts around the country.  Scott is based in Washington, D.C. and defends individuals nationwide in federal court.

At Armstrong & Bradylyons PLLC, Scott defends executives, financial professionals, and medical professionals facing complex white-collar investigations and charges. He provides creative and tenacious defenses in cases involving allegations of healthcare fraud, cryptocurrency and digital asset fraud, securities fraud, insider trading, market manipulation, computer fraud, procurement fraud, FCPA violations, bank fraud, and money laundering.

Scott also represents companies and individuals in high-stakes business disputes and civil litigation involving fraud and related misconduct.  His first-chair experience in complex federal cases also makes him a valuable trial partner for other attorneys navigating high-stakes matters through trial.

Healthcare Fraud Defense & Anti-Kickback Statute Defense

Scott defends licensed medical professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and healthcare executives, against criminal and civil healthcare fraud charges and regulatory investigations. At DOJ’s Fraud Section, Scott served as lead counsel in healthcare fraud cases totaling over $600 million in false and fraudulent claims involving Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and other federal programs. He also served as Director of DOJ's Appalachian Regional Prescription Drug Task Force.

Scott now defends clients against allegations of healthcare fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1347), wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b), major fraud against the United States (18 U.S.C. § 1031), false statements relating to a healthcare matter (18 U.S.C. § 1035), diversion of controlled substances (21 U.S.C. § 841), and conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1349).

His healthcare fraud defense practice protects medical professionals against allegations of wound care fraud, home health services fraud, durable medical equipment (DME) fraud, Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage fraud, laboratory and genetic testing fraud, telemedicine and telehealth fraud, compounding pharmacy fraud, behavioral health and substance abuse treatment fraud, injection and infusion therapy fraud, and controlled substances diversion and illegal prescribing.

Scott defends medical professionals in investigations and prosecutions brought by the Strike Forces of DOJ’s Fraud Section, Healthcare Fraud Unit; United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI); the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs); and state medical and professional licensing boards.

Scott has tried healthcare fraud and anti-kickback statute cases involving approximately one hundred million dollars in false claims. He knows how federal prosecutors build cases by analyzing claims data, dissecting complex patient files, obtaining and using electronic communications, and relying on witness testimony. He uses that experience to challenge the government’s theories of medical necessity, identify weaknesses in claims-data analysis, and dismantle allegations of kickback arrangements at every stage of an investigation. And if a case cannot be resolved on favorable terms, Scott has the first-chair trial experience to defend medical professionals at trial in federal court.

Cryptocurrency Fraud, Money Laundering & Cybercrime Defense

Scott defends protocol founders, traders, marketers, and DeFi developers against allegations of cryptocurrency fraud, digital-asset misappropriation, market manipulation, and money laundering.

At DOJ’s Fraud Section, Scott supervised and led a team of federal prosecutors investigating and trying nationwide high-profile cryptocurrency cases, including cases involving multi-million-dollar crypto Ponzi schemes, NFT rug pulls, pig butchering or affinity schemes involving international actors, cherry picking schemes involving registered advisors and cryptocurrency futures, and investment-fraud schemes involving former registered brokers. Scott also tried the first-ever cryptocurrency manipulation case under Title 15 in the Southern District of Florida that involved over $300 million in manipulation through spoof orders and wash trades.

In addition to his trial experience with crypto cases, Scott draws on his deep experience in DeFi protocols, blockchain technology, and wallet tracing to defend and counsel clients across every corner of the cryptocurrency market. He defends clients against charges of wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), conspiracy to commit wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1349), money laundering (18 U.S.C. §§ 1956, 1957), and conspiracy to commit money laundering (18 U.S.C. §§ 1349, 1956(h)).  These cases involve defense of individuals against charges brought by components of DOJ and United States Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, as well as civil charges levied by the New York Attorney General (NYAG), other state attorneys general offices, and state securities regulators.  

Scott also specifically defends individuals facing money laundering charges involving the use of mixing and tumbling services, chain-hopping across multiple blockchains, layering funds through decentralized and off-shore centralized exchanges, transacting in privacy coins, and using peer-to-peer platforms to convert crypto to fiat. Scott’s experience in this space allows him to defend individuals by identifying any errors or weaknesses in the government’s theory, proof, and admissible evidence.

Scott also defends individuals under investigation and indictment for ransomware attacks, computer fraud, SIM swap attacks, identity theft, and social engineering exploits involving cryptocurrency.

Securities Fraud Defense & Commodities Fraud Defense

Scott defends executives, traders, financial advisors, accountants, broker-dealers, hedge fund managers, and investment professionals against allegations of fraud and manipulation in the financial markets.  Scott defends these professionals based on his proven trial skills in federal court, familiarity with the capital markets, and skill with navigating complex trading data and messaging platforms. 

As an Assistant Chief and senior supervisor at DOJ’s Fraud Section, Scott tried and supervised complex multi-million-dollar fraud cases in federal courts across the country. These federal jury trials involved Ponzi schemes involving hundreds of millions of dollars laundered through financial institutions, market manipulation schemes involving over $300 million in spoof and wash trades, and a commodities fraud scheme involving precious metals futures contracts that was orchestrated by two senior traders at a major financial institution.  Scott also supervised insider trading cases involving corporate board members and executives.

Scott has first-chair experience in fraud and manipulation cases across a range of financial products, including U.S. Treasuries, cryptocurrencies, futures, equities, and private investments. He defends clients against allegations of wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), securities fraud (15 U.S.C. § 78j(b) and SEC Rule 10b-5), commodities fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1348), insider trading (15 U.S.C. §§ 78j(b) and 78ff), market manipulation (15 U.S.C. § 78i(a)(2)), spoofing in the commodities markets (7 U.S.C. § 9(a)(2)), and conspiracy to commit securities or commodities fraud (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1349).

Scott defends clients in matters brought by DOJ’s Fraud Section and other components; U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide; the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA); the New York State Attorney General (NYAG); and state securities regulators.

Scott has tried securities and commodities fraud cases. He knows how federal prosecutors use trading data, chat logs, and electronic communications to build fraud cases. He uses that experience to find the weaknesses in the government's case and challenge its theories at every stage of an investigation. And if a case cannot be resolved on favorable terms, Scott has the trial skills and first-chair experience to defend his clients at trial in federal court.

False Claims Act Defense & Procurement Fraud Defense

Scott defends healthcare providers, government contractors, and executives against False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733) investigations, qui tam whistleblower lawsuits, and procurement fraud allegations.

Scott represents clients at every stage of an FCA enforcement case. He defends clients responding to Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs), during the sealed phase of qui tam actions, through DOJ intervention decisions, in settlement negotiations, and at trial if necessary. Because FCA investigations often carry parallel criminal exposure and collateral consequences, such as OIG exclusion or debarment from federal programs, Scott draws on his near decade-long tenure at DOJ's Fraud Section to defend clients across the full spectrum of civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings.

Scott's healthcare FCA defense practice is built on his experience as lead counsel in criminal healthcare fraud cases at DOJ involving over $600 million in false and fraudulent claims. He defends healthcare providers and executives against FCA allegations of upcoding, billing for medically unnecessary services, and Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b) violations across wound care, home health, telehealth, pharmacy, laboratory testing, and Medicare Part B services.

Scott's procurement fraud defense practice covers bid-rigging, cost-mischarging, defective pricing, product substitution, and fraud involving Small Business Administration (SBA) programs. He defends government contractors and executives in investigations and cases brought by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), federal Inspectors General, and United States Attorney's Offices nationwide.

Scott knows how the government seeks to build FCA cases because he did just that at the Fraud Section for nearly a decade. He uses that experience to challenge the government's theories of liability, defend against inflated damages calculations, and protect his clients across parallel civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings.

Cryptocurrency Litigation & Digital Asset Recovery

Scott represents clients in complex disputes involving digital assets, blockchain technology, and crypto investments. Scott handles both offensive and defensive cryptocurrency litigation.  Scott prosecutes claims for his clients to recover lost or misappropriated cryptocurrency and investment losses.  He also defends clients’ digital assets against government and third-party freeze orders, asset seizure, and civil and criminal forfeiture proceedings.

Scott has particular experience in smart contract disputes and navigating the complex technical and legal challenges of recovering digital assets that have become inaccessible through failed, exploited, or disputed smart-contract executions.

Scott also defends clients against Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) seeking to freeze crypto wallets, digital asset holdings, and accounts at centralized exchanges, as well as clawback and disgorgement actions brought by federal receivers in CFTC and SEC enforcement cases.

Scott brings his trial-oriented approach and federal-prosecutor experience to crypto and digital asset disputes involving DeFi protocols, centralized and decentralized exchanges, tokenized assets and securities, stablecoins, and cross-chain transactions. His familiarity with blockchain technology, on-chain tracing, and the evolving federal regulatory landscape, including guidance and rules from DOJ, the SEC, the CFTC, and FinCEN, allows him to aggressively defend his clients’ interests in cryptocurrency and digital asset disputes.  

Crypto and digital asset disputes are complex, fast-moving, and high-stakes. Scott has the federal trial experience, technical background, and prosecutorial background to navigate these disputes from their earliest stages. And if a dispute cannot be resolved favorably, Scott has the first-chair trial skills to see a case through trial in federal court. 

High-Stakes Business Disputes & Civil Litigation

Scott represents businesses, executives, and individuals in high-stakes disputes and complex civil litigation in federal courts nationwide. He handles breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty claims, business fraud and conversion actions, and investment disputes involving allegations of fraudulent inducement, constructive fraud, and unjust enrichment.

Scott litigates business disputes in the same heavily regulated industries where he defends clients in criminal and FCA matters. These include healthcare, financial services, government contracting, and digital assets. These cases demand fluency in federal regulations, compliance frameworks, and industry-specific standards. Scott spent nearly a decade navigating these regulatory environments as a federal prosecutor at DOJ’s Fraud Section. That federal prosecutor experience allows him to litigate civil disputes where the subject matter is as complex as the legal claims.

Scott's experience at DOJ building and trying complex fraud cases translates directly to civil litigation. He knows how to develop case theories. He knows how to take and defend depositions, manage discovery in document-intensive matters, and present evidence to a jury. He brings that same investigative rigor and trial discipline to every civil matter he handles.

Scott also draws on his experience with complex financial data, electronic communications, and blockchain technology. He represents clients in disputes involving venture capital investments, private equity transactions, startup equity and compensation disputes, and joint ventures where fraud or misconduct is at the center of the case.

Scott approaches every civil dispute with trial preparation as the baseline. That posture strengthens every phase of a case. It positions clients for the strongest possible outcome, whether through early resolution, dispositive motion, or verdict. And if a case needs to proceed to trial, Scott has the first-chair experience to see it through.

Previous Experience

Before joining the Department of Justice, Scott worked at an international law firm in Washington, D.C., where he defended individuals at trial, including an in-house attorney acquitted of obstruction charges, a former Blackwater security guard tried over ten weeks for his role during a shootout in Iraq, and an executive acquitted of charges relating to the BP oil spill.

Whatever the case, Scott brings first-chair federal trial experience and exceptional advocacy to defend clients at every stage of a proceeding.