White-Collar Defense &
Federal Trial Attorneys
Former DOJ Prosecutors. Proven Trial Experience in Federal Courts Across the Country.
White-Collar Defense Built on Federal Trial Experience
Scott Armstrong, Drew Bradylyons, and Andrea Savdie defend individuals in high-stakes, white-collar criminal investigations and at trial in federal courts around the country. The firm defends individuals in cases adverse to DOJ, United States Attorney’s Offices, and federal regulators, like the SEC and CFTC. Because of the firm’s trial-ready approach and aggressive defense on the facts and the law, the firm’s advocacy often results in favorable resolutions outside of court and without charges. But where the government does elect to proceed with charges against the firm’s clients, the firm relishes the opportunity to bring its trial experience to bear and try a case before a federal jury when it matters most to its clients.
Trial experience matters. It cannot be faked or sidestepped. It changes the calculus, both for the firm’s clients and its litigation adversaries. Federal prosecutors assess whether defense counsel can and will try the case. That assessment shapes every stage of a federal prosecution: the scope of the investigation, the charges in the indictment, and plea negotiations. Simply put, trial experience speaks volumes and gives immediate credibility. Defense counsel who lack trial experience operate at a structural disadvantage from day one.
Armstrong & Bradylyons PLLC was built on a foundation of that critical federal experience. The firm’s attorneys have tried 25 federal jury trials in complex white-collar fraud cases in federal courts across the United States. That record is not aspirational. It is a fact.
The firm defends clients in any white-collar case that involves complex evidence and complicated factual issues and demands an aggressive legal defense. Beyond its core practice areas, this defense practice involves defending clients facing investigations and charges involving FCPA violations, bank fraud, trade fraud, computer fraud, bid rigging, trafficking, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Scott Armstrong served for nearly a decade at DOJ’s Fraud Section as an Assistant Chief in the Market Integrity and Major Fraud Unit, Director of DOJ’s Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force, and Trial Attorney in the Healthcare Fraud Unit. Scott has tried 16 complex, white-collar federal jury trials around the United States. These trials were multi-week, multi-defendant trials involving a $650 million Ponzi scheme, a nationally leading wire fraud and market manipulation case involving precious metals futures, cryptocurrency fraud and manipulation involving $300 million in spoof and wash trades, numerous healthcare fraud trials involving claims to Medicare between ten and twenty million dollars, Anti-Kickback Statute violations, and money laundering.
Drew Bradylyons served as Chief of the Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. He supervised and led federal prosecutors handling securities fraud, commodities fraud, money laundering, and public corruption cases. Drew also served at DOJ’s Fraud Section, where he prosecuted a first-of-its-kind commodities insider trading ring involving natural gas futures and supervised the Healthcare Fraud Unit’s Miami Strike Force.
Andrea Savdie served at DOJ’s Fraud Section in the Miami Strike Force, where she charged and tried complex fraud cases in high-volume healthcare fraud prosecutions and financial fraud matters.
Scott Armstrong, Drew Bradylyons, and Andrea Savdie have the federal trial skill and experience to defend their clients in any complex, white-collar case. They have spent thousands of hours in courtrooms across the country selecting juries, cross-examining hostile witnesses and experts, and delivering opening and closing arguments in cases with enormous stakes. That trial experience is the foundation of the firm and what it brings to every client’s defense.
Scott Armstrong, Drew Bradylyons, and Andrea Savdie have litigated and tried complex cases in federal courts around the United States. This experience spans the United States and includes:
Scott Armstrong, Drew Bradylyons, and Andrea Savdie have served as lead counsel in the following cases, which are representative of the breadth and scope of the team’s federal trial experience:
Represented executives at a leading international resin distributor in a DOJ investigation into falsifying Country of Origin declarations to avoid duties and resolved the investigation without federal charges as to any client.
Served as lead trial counsel for a businessman tried and defended on federal trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Represented a foreign national against a federal indictment charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly orchestrating a $260 million cryptocurrency heist.
Represented as part of a trial team a former BP executive acquitted on federal charges of obstruction of justice and false statements in connection with the BP oil spill.
Represented as part of a trial team a former Blackwater security guard over a ten-week trial.
At DOJ, served as lead trial counsel in the first-ever trial for cryptocurrency market manipulation under Title 15 involving over $300 million in spoof orders and wash trades placed via an automated trading bot on cryptocurrency exchanges.
At DOJ, served as co-lead trial counsel against two senior traders at a major financial institution convicted after a two-week trial for defrauding market participants in a years-long manipulation scheme in the futures markets for several precious metals.
At DOJ, served as lead trial counsel against two defendants convicted after a two-week trial for misleading and defrauding private investors in a Ponzi scheme and laundering approximately $650 million through financial institutions.
At DOJ, served as lead counsel in a $126 million fraud scheme involving compounded medications and conduct from physicians, pharmacists, executives, and marketers.
At DOJ, served as lead trial counsel against a physician and two clinic owners, who were convicted after a week-long trial for a $26 million scheme involving Medicare claims for medical services that were medically unnecessary and induced by kickbacks.
At DOJ, served as lead trial counsel against a Director of Nursing of a health clinic, convicted after a week-long trial for a $20 million scheme involving Medicare claims for medical services that were medically unnecessary and induced by kickbacks.
At DOJ, served as co-lead trial counsel against a physician convicted following a week-long trial for unlawfully prescribing medical injections and other medical services in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
At DOJ, served as lead trial counsel in DOJ’s Fraud Section’s first-ever use of data analytics to investigate, prosecute, and convict after a two-week trial a physician and clinic owner for conspiring to dispense over 2 million opioid pills unlawfully.
At DOJ, supervised the investigation and successful trial of a precious metals Ponzi scheme.
At DOJ, brought a first-of-its-kind prosecution against a commodities insider trading ring involving natural gas futures.
How Many Federal Jury Trials Have the Firm’s Attorneys Tried?
The firm’s attorneys have tried 25 federal jury trials in complex white-collar fraud cases. Scott Armstrong tried 16 federal cases as lead or co-lead trial counsel. Drew Bradylyons and Andrea Savdie tried additional complex cases at DOJ. These were multi-week trials involving Ponzi schemes, market manipulation, commodities fraud, securities fraud, Anti-Kickback Statute violations, healthcare fraud, cryptocurrency manipulation, and money laundering in federal courts across the United States.
Why Does Federal Trial Experience Matter in White-Collar Defense?
Federal white-collar cases are resolved at every stage: pre-charge, post-indictment, and at trial. A defense attorney with proven trial experience changes the calculus for prosecutors at each of those stages.
Prosecutors assess whether defense counsel can and will try the case. That assessment directly affects plea negotiations, sentencing recommendations, and the government’s willingness to resolve a case on favorable terms. An attorney who has never tried a complex federal case operates from a weaker position.
The firm’s 25 federal jury trials provide the courtroom credibility to negotiate from a position of strength. When a case cannot be resolved on favorable terms, the firm is prepared to try it.
What Types of Federal White-Collar Cases Does the Firm Defend?
The firm defends individuals across the full range of federal white-collar cases. Its practice areas include securities fraud and commodities fraud, cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering, healthcare fraud and Anti-Kickback Statute violations, wire fraud, bank fraud, False Claims Act and procurement fraud, insider trading, computer fraud, and tax fraud.
The firm represents executives, traders, financial professionals, physicians, healthcare executives, cryptocurrency founders, and other individuals under federal investigation or indictment.
Does the Firm Handle Federal Cases Outside of Washington, D.C.?
Yes. Armstrong & Bradylyons PLLC defends individuals in federal courts nationwide. The firm’s attorneys have tried cases and handled investigations in federal districts across the country, including the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, the Eastern District of Virginia, the Southern District of Florida, the Northern District of Illinois, the Northern District of Texas, the District of New Jersey, the Central and Northern Districts of California, the District of Colorado, the Eastern District of Michigan, and others.
What DOJ Experience Do the Firm’s Attorneys Have?
Scott Armstrong served for nearly a decade at DOJ’s Fraud Section, including as a leading Trial Attorney in the Healthcare Fraud Unit, Assistant Chief in the Market Integrity and Major Fraud Unit, and Director of DOJ’s Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force.
Drew Bradylyons served as Chief of the Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and previously investigated, supervised, and tried complex fraud cases in the Healthcare Fraud Unit, and FCPA Unit of DOJ’s Fraud Section.
Andrea Savdie served at DOJ’s Fraud Section in the Miami Strike Force. Collectively, the firm’s attorneys bring over 25 years of DOJ experience.
Can the Firm Serve as Trial Counsel Alongside Existing Defense Counsel?
Yes. The firm regularly joins cases as trial counsel or co-counsel when a case requires additional trial experience. Some clients and their existing counsel retain the firm specifically for its courtroom experience as a case approaches trial.
The firm integrates into existing defense teams and brings its trial preparation methodology and courtroom skills to cases at any stage.
What Should I Do If I Am Under Federal Investigation or Receive a Grand Jury Subpoena?
Retain an experienced federal criminal defense attorney immediately. The pre-indictment stage of a federal investigation is the most critical. This is when a defense attorney has the greatest ability to influence the outcome. Decisions made before charges are filed can determine whether a case results in a federal indictment, a declination, or a negotiated resolution.
If you receive a grand jury subpoena, a target letter, or learn that federal agents want to interview you, do not speak with investigators without counsel. Federal agents are trained to elicit statements that can be used against you. A false statement to a federal agent is itself a felony under 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Scott Armstrong and Drew Bradylyons have handled federal investigations at every stage, from the first subpoena through trial, and understand how DOJ builds and advances white-collar cases.
What Are the Penalties for Federal White-Collar Crimes?
Federal white-collar convictions carry severe penalties. Wire fraud and mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years. Securities fraud carries up to 25 years. Money laundering under 18 U.S.C. § 1956 carries up to 20 years per count. Healthcare fraud involving federal programs carries a maximum of 10 years under 18 U.S.C. § 1347.
Beyond incarceration, federal white-collar sentences typically include substantial fines, restitution orders, forfeiture of assets, and periods of supervised release. Sentencing in federal court is governed by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which calculate advisory sentencing ranges based on factors including the loss amount, number of victims, the defendant’s role in the offense, and obstruction of justice. The stakes are high. Effective defense requires an attorney who understands how the Guidelines work and can challenge the government’s calculations at every step.
How Does a Federal Plea Agreement Work in a White-Collar Case?
Most federal white-collar cases are resolved through plea agreements rather than trial. A federal plea agreement is a negotiated contract between the defendant and the government. It typically addresses the charges to which the defendant will plead guilty, the government’s sentencing recommendation, cooperation obligations, forfeiture and restitution terms, and any agreements to dismiss remaining counts. The plea agreement is governed by Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11.
A plea agreement is only as strong as the defense attorney’s leverage. Prosecutors negotiate differently with defense counsel who have tried federal cases and are prepared to go to trial. The firm’s 25 federal jury trials give it the credibility to negotiate aggressively and reject unfavorable terms. When the government knows that defense counsel will take the case to trial, the dynamics shift.
What Is the Difference Between a Target, Subject, and Witness in a Federal Investigation?
DOJ classifies individuals in federal investigations into three categories under the Justice Manual. A target is a person whom the prosecutor or grand jury has substantial evidence linking to the commission of a crime. A subject is a person whose conduct falls within the scope of the investigation. A witness is a person with information relevant to the investigation who is not currently a target or subject.
These classifications matter. They determine your rights, your exposure, and the government’s obligations. They can also change without notice. A person classified as a witness today may become a target tomorrow. Early engagement by experienced defense counsel helps clarify your status and protect your interests before the government narrows its focus.