Schulman was initially indicted in December of 2020. The DOJ's case alleged that Schulman had misrepresented his authority in efforts to recover Somali funds and engaged in fraudulent activities during the process. Over the course of the investigation and legal proceedings, Schulman consistently maintained his innocence, asserting that he acted with full authorization from the Somali government and that his actions were completely transparent and in the best interests of the Somali people.
In the years preceding the indictment, Schulman's efforts successfully resulted in the restoration of the Somali government's $20 million gold reserve and recovery of over $9 million in cash assets, which were returned to the Somali Central Bank. These efforts were conducted with the knowledge and encouragement of the U.S. State Department, which had formally certified the authority of the Somali President with whom Schulman was working.
The former Prime Minister of Somalia, Hassan Khaire, celebrated the news of Schulman's exoneration: "Jeremy Schulman has been a trusted legal advisor to the Somali government for many years, with an unwavering commitment to helping our people recover from decades of civil war. I am so pleased that he has been fully cleared of these baseless charges, and I look forward to continuing our work together."
Schulman's legal team had filed a motion laying out evidence of serious prosecutorial misconduct and were poised to file a second misconduct motion when the DOJ announced its decision to withdraw the case. These motions depicted a prosecution team relying on coerced false witness testimony, suppressing exculpatory evidence, and deliberately omitting key testimony from senior Somali government officials who had conferred authority on Schulman. The presiding federal judge, Paula Xinis, concluded in a decision issued last fall that the government's conduct with respect to one such witness was "disturbing," noting the government's failure to turn over exculpatory evidence to the defense.
Judge Xinis' impartial handling of the proceedings was pivotal in ensuring that justice was served. "I'm grateful for the diligence and good faith of Judge Xinis, who handled this case with remarkable fairness," Schulman said. "Her even-handed approach forced the DOJ to confront the flaws in their case, ultimately leaving them with no choice but to withdraw the charges."
The decision brings an end to an eight-year legal battle that had significant personal and professional impacts on Schulman. Despite the challenges, Schulman remained committed to his thriving legal practice and to supporting Somalia's efforts to recover from decades of civil war.
"An unwarranted federal fraud prosecution does incalculable harm—permeating every aspect of one's life," Schulman said. "This ordeal created a level of stress and anxiety I can't fully express. However, I was fortunate to have world class defense lawyers at Akin and Brand Woodward fighting for me, as well as the unwavering support of family, close friends, clients, and colleagues, which allowed me to continue building a successful law practice despite the misguided efforts of the DOJ to prevent that.” Schulman emphasized: “The Akin and Brand Woodward teams in particular deserve enormous credit for achieving this victory—their masterful legal work and the vast resources they brought to bear against DOJ were decisive. A case like this could not have been won without Akin and Brand Woodward.”
Moving forward, Schulman is committed to using his experience to advocate for reform in how the DOJ approaches cases of this nature. "The government sought to criminalize the zealous practice of law, but I will not be deterred," he said. "I will continue to fight for justice and fairness, and to support others who are wrongly targeted by prosecutors."
Schulman was represented by Paul Butler, Allison Coffin, and Madeline Bardi from Akin, as well as by Stanley Woodward and Ashleigh Bondoc at Brand Woodward.
About Schulman Bhattacharya:
Schulman Bhattacharya, LLC (www.schulmanBH.com) is an international law firm based in the Washington, D.C. area focused on resolving the most complex and challenging commercial disputes facing its clients— through litigation, arbitration, mediation, and informal negotiation. The Firm has vast experience representing clients in nearly every industry sector. The Firm represents companies of all sizes, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, and it represents individuals with valuable commercial and personal interests to protect.
SOURCE Schulman Bhattacharya
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