Sharon Cohen Levin is Co-Head of the Firm’s National Security Practice and a partner in the Firm’s Litigation Group and Criminal Defense and Investigations Group. She is a leading expert in anti-money laundering (AML), Bank Secrecy Act, economic sanctions and asset forfeiture matters. Through her decades of experience in the U.S. government and frequent collaboration with federal authorities, Sharon has a deep familiarity with the policies and systems that impact U.S. national security. She leverages this familiarity with her expertise in cross-border economic activities to help clients resolve complex and politically sensitive issues. Multinational firms routinely call on Sharon for her ability to craft strategies tailored to both their strategic desires and the evolving perspectives of national security and defense agencies.
Sharon represents a diverse group of clients, including financial institutions, multinational companies, and individuals, primarily in white-collar and regulatory enforcement defense, internal investigations, and compliance counseling. She also represents collectors, dealers, non-profit organizations, universities, financial institutions, galleries, auction houses and governments on a variety of matters related to the art market, including issues of ownership, theft, fraud, authenticity and breach of contract, as well as in criminal investigations and asset forfeiture proceedings.
Sharon is a former federal prosecutor and led the Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for two decades. Under her leadership, the SDNY was responsible for nearly 60% of all forfeitures in the United States, with most of the proceeds remitted to victims of crimes. She led multiple significant prosecutions under the AML, economic sanctions and asset forfeiture laws, working hand in hand with federal and state banking regulators, the Office of Foreign Asset Control, and other investigative and regulatory authorities. She was the lead prosecutor responsible for securing a settlement in the watershed “Portrait of Wally” forfeiture case, which centered on an oil painting stolen by Nazis from a Jewish woman in 1938—a story that was later made into a documentary. Her track record of success inspired Forbes to call her “The Babe Ruth of Forfeiture.”
As an internationally renowned leader in her field, Sharon has provided training to U.S. and foreign governments and private and public companies and served on numerous occasions as a keynote speaker, panelist or lecturer at events related to money laundering, asset forfeiture, AML compliance, terrorist financing, and other related topics.
“She is an extraordinary lawyer and brilliant strategist, always knows what to say and can get anyone on side.” – Chambers USA
“Sharon Cohen Levin is pragmatic and gives actionable advice. Her judgment is impeccable. She has her pulse on the industry and is always looking forward at emerging risks.” – Chambers USA
For more information, visit: https://www.sullcrom.com/Lawyers/Sharon-Cohen-Levin
