Danielle Sassoon, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), has reportedly resigned, marking a significant shake-up in one of the country’s most high-profile legal offices.
Sassoon, who played a key role in prosecuting former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, had been leading several cases involving figures in the crypto industry.
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Sasson Resigns After Trump-Appointed Official Blocks Corruption Case
According to a Feb. 13 report by The New York Times, Sassoon stepped down after a Trump-appointed U.S. Justice Department official, Emil Bove, directed her to halt a corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The case, brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in September 2024, accused Adams of accepting illegal donations from the Turkish government.
Following the indictment, former President Donald Trump publicly defended Adams, claiming that the mayor had been unfairly targeted due to his criticism of Biden’s immigration policies.
Adams, who visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago compound before the president’s inauguration on Jan. 20, has denied any wrongdoing.
Sidenote: My friend Rebecca @rroiphe cited in Danielle Sassoon’s resignation letter from @SDNYnews for her work on why political appointees are the wrong ppl to police politicization of DOJ(coauthored w/ Bruce Green) Ppl must be reading closely bc my texts are blowing up! pic.twitter.com/pf6lAoCVWl
— Melissa Russo (@MelissaRusso4NY) February 13, 2025
Bove, who was previously one of Trump’s criminal defense attorneys, ordered Sassoon to pause the investigation until the Senate confirms a permanent U.S. Attorney for SDNY.
Lawmakers are expected to review Trump’s nominee for the position, Jay Clayton, a former Wall Street executive and ex-chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
At the time of publication, it remains unclear who will replace Sassoon in an acting capacity. SDNY is widely regarded as one of the most influential prosecutorial offices in the country, handling major cases involving white-collar crime, political corruption, and cryptocurrency-related fraud.
Sassoon’s resignation raises questions about the future of high-profile financial and crypto-related prosecutions and the ongoing legal battles against figures within the digital asset industry.
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Post Sam Bankman-Fried: Mayor Adams and Crypto Connections
Mayor Eric Adams, who took office in 2022, gained attention in the crypto industry after pledging to receive his first three paychecks in Bitcoin as part of his campaign to make New York City a crypto hub.
He also pushed for pro-crypto policies, including urging the New York governor to veto a moratorium on proof-of-work mining operations.
The indictment against Adams alleges that he received travel perks and other benefits from Turkish government-linked individuals in exchange for political favors, including fast-tracking approvals for a new Turkish consulate building in NYC without proper fire safety certifications.
As reported, former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) commissioner Brian Quintenz is again being considered by US President Donald Trump to lead the agency.
Since leaving the CFTC, Quintenz has played a major role in shaping crypto policy at a16z, one of the largest venture capital firms in the digital asset space.
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