Ariel A. Neuman

Representative Matters at Bird Marella

Lead counsel for the Los Angeles Angels in all matters related to the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, including a criminal investigation of a former employee and civil lawsuits filed by the Skaggs family.

Trial counsel for two families in a high-profile dispute with developer Mohamed Hadid regarding an illegal mansion Hadid built in Bel Air. Following a six-week trial in which every lawyer, witness, and juror wore masks (and some jurors and witnesses participated by Zoom), secured a multi-million dollar verdict for clients as well as an order requiring that the mansion be demolished.

Trial counsel defending Plains All American Pipeline, a Fortune 150 company, in a four-month trial based on criminal charges filed by the California Attorney General’s Office and Santa Barbara DA’s Office, related to an oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara. Obtained dismissal of 37 out of 46 counts and a penalty a tiny fraction of that requested by prosecutors.

Trial counsel defending a real estate developer charged with making an illegal bribe to a Los Angeles City Councilmember.

Represents a multi-billion dollar publicly-traded technology company in the mobile app ad space in relation to a civil anti-trust investigation being conducted by the Department of Justice.

Obtained full return of over $4 million in cash seized from client, and convinced US DOJ to abandon the case.

Represented multiple members of Congress in various grand jury investigations.

Represents a former NBA player in a healthcare fraud case pending in the Southern District of New York.

In “bet-the-company” litigation, defeated a preliminary injunction demand that would have shuttered oil-services business and required firing of all employees.

Represented one of the largest minority-owned broker/dealers in a FINRA arbitration and successfully defeated a demand for a permanent injunction regarding certain business practices related to muni bonds and fixed income investments.

Represented a financial professional involved in a dispute with his former business partners, who attempted to freeze Mr. Neuman’s client’s out of the partnership and deprive him of his rightful assets and membership interests. The matter was confidentially settled to the satisfaction of Mr. Neuman’s client.

Represents a doctor in an investigation by the DOJ related to various health care fraud allegations. Mr. Neuman convinced the Assistant U.S. Attorney to reverse a decision to indict the client on charges of billing for non-existent or medically unnecessary procedures.

Represented a CFO and part owner of a media holding company against money laundering and Travel Act charges in connection with the recent indictment in Arizona relating to Backpage.com, as well as in connection with numerous related forfeiture proceedings in Los Angeles.

Represented a patent attorney under investigation for violation of the Hobbs Act (extortion involving threats of financial harm). Mr. Neuman set the stage for his client to get immunity from the Department of Justice.

Represented an individual under investigation for antitrust, anti-competitive activities in the public works construction area. The investigation was closed without any charges being filed against Mr. Neuman’s client.

Represented an immigration attorney charged with securities fraud and other violations by the SEC related to the attorney’s work on behalf of clients seeking EB-5 visas.

Represented two prominent physicians under investigation for alleged Medicare and Medicaid fraud. The United States Attorney’s Office and Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, closed the investigation without filing any charges against Mr. Neuman’s clients.

Conducted an internal investigation for the Chinese subsidiary of a US-based technology company. The investigation focused on possible FCPA and tax violations, and was concluded without any finding of wrong-doing.

In major federal trade-based money laundering prosecution, secured settlement for client that resulted in dismissal of money laundering charges. Mr. Neuman and his colleagues successfully argued for the suppression of evidence illegally seized from one of the client’s business locations.

Represents a corporate executive facing a civil contempt action brought by the Federal Trade Commission. This case is on hold while other litigation continues, but to date Mr. Neuman has successfully prevented the FTC from deposing his client.

Representative Matters at the U.S. Attorney’s Office

In a three-week jury trial of a defendant charged with crimes related to tax evasion, art theft, and art fraud, Mr. Neuman and a colleague secured convictions on all charges. Mr. Neuman joined the case only weeks before trial, took over opening and closing arguments as well as the examination of numerous key witnesses, and earned accolades for his trial advocacy skills from colleagues and onlookers.

Led the investigation and prosecution of over a dozen defendants involved in a $20 million mortgage and bank fraud scheme involving short sale and lending fraud on over 35 properties around Southern California. Among the defendants was a former bank officer who accepted bribes to manipulate the bank’s short sale process.

In a matter that garnered world-wide media attention, secured the extradition to Mexico of a television producer on charges of murdering his wife at a Cancun resort and then fleeing back to the United States.

Prosecuted over 200 defendants for violations of federal racketeering (“RICO”) laws. As part of these and related cases, won several jury trials where defendants were convicted of RICO charges, murder conspiracy charges, alien smuggling offenses, firearms offenses, and narcotics distribution charges. His efforts were recognized repeatedly in awards and commendations from various organizations.

• Guest, "Menendez Case Shows Peril of Talks with DOJ," Bloomberg Law Podcast, July 2024
• Author, “Menendez Case Shows Possible Peril of Pre-Indictment Meetings”, Bloomberg Law, July 2024
• Co-Author, “Bank Secrecy Act exposes failure of Congress in articulating its intent,” Daily Journal, October 2022
• Co-Author, “Renewed fight against corporate crime,” Daily Journal, November 2021
• Contributor, “California: An Introduction to Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations,” Chambers and Partners USA, May 2021
• Co-Author, “FCPA Enforcement Continues Apace Under Trump Administration,” Bloomberg Law, December 13, 2019 
• Co-Author, “Walmart Settlement’s Lessons For Avoiding FCPA Prosecution,” Law360, August 27, 2019 
• Co-Author, “How Walmart Pulled off an FCPA Win,” Daily Journal, July 2, 2019 (with Naomi Solomon)
• Co-Author, “When and Why to Consider Self-Disclosure of Criminal Conduct,” American Bar Association, March 21, 2019 
• Co-Author, “Six Ways To Avoid Being Co-Opted Into a Trade-Based Money Laundering Scheme,” Bloomberg BNA, May 14, 2018 
• Co-Author, “Backpage Dismissal Does Not Solve Websites’ Woes,” Law360, December, 2016 
• Co-Author, “United States: White-Collar Criminal Defence,” Global Investigations Review, August 25, 2015 
• Co-Author, “United States: White-Collar Criminal Defence,” Global Investigations Review, September 17, 2014 
• Co-Author, “FedEx Indictment Creates Bad Incentives,” Daily Journal, August 5, 2014 
• Author, “Ruling in Chevron’s Ecuador Case Inspires a RICO Refresher,” Daily Journal, March 31, 2014
• Co-Author, “Custodial Interrogations: What We Know, What We Do, and What We Can Learn From Law Enforcement Experiences,” Educing Information – Interrogation: Science & Art, National Defense Intelligence College Press, 2006