Joseph Orabona

Joseph Orabona is a partner in Glaser Weil’s litigation department and a nationally recognized federal prosecutor and trial lawyer with two decades of experience handling high‑profile matters at every stage of investigation, trial and appeal. Prior to joining the Firm, he served as Chief of the Special Prosecutions Section at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, where he led and managed multidisciplinary teams prosecuting major frauds, public corruption, national security and cybercrimes, human trafficking and child exploitation, and other sensitive, high‑impact cases. Joe also held other supervisory roles over the past two decades, including Chief of the Violent Crime and Human Trafficking Section, Senior Litigation Counsel, and Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Trial Team.

A veteran courtroom advocate, Joe has tried more than 40 federal felony cases, argued nine matters before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, authored over 30 appellate briefs and served as lead prosecutor in more than 1,500 criminal cases. His practice is defined by a deep command of evidentiary strategy, financial analysis and complex investigations involving multi‑defendant conspiracies, international elements and extensive electronic and forensic evidence. His extensive experience informs his strategic approach to defending clients facing significant criminal and civil litigation exposure and parallel regulatory proceedings. Clients rely on Joe for his practical judgment, trial experience and ability to navigate sensitive investigations while protecting reputations and business interests.

His practice primarily focuses on:

• White‑collar litigation and regulatory defense
• Securities, investment and financial fraud cases
• Accounting irregularities and fraud
• Criminal tax matters
• Corporate governance

Joe’s successes include the following:

• United States v. Katherine Kealoha et al. One of the lead prosecutors in a landmark public corruption and civil rights case involving a deputy prosecutor, a police chief and police officers who framed an innocent man. Following a six‑week jury trial with more than 90 witnesses, all four defendants were convicted; the longest sentence imposed was 15 years’ imprisonment. The convictions were affirmed by the Ninth Circuit.
• United States v. Steven Martinez. Prosecuted a former IRS agent who orchestrated a $15 million fraud scheme and attempted to hire a hitman to kill witnesses. Secured guilty pleas on multiple counts; defendant sentenced to 24 years in federal prison.
• United States v. Thanh Viet “Jeremy” Cao. Tried and convicted the architect of an $18 million Ponzi scheme following a 24‑witness jury trial. Defendant was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment; conviction affirmed on appeal.
• United States v. Jeffrey Spanier. Tried and convicted the owner of a stock lending firm involved in a $100 million elaborate stock-loan fraud scheme following a multi-week jury trial. Defendant was sentenced to multiple years in prison and ordered to pay $20 million in restitution to victims all over the world.
• United States v. Neil Thomsen. Prosecuted a tax preparer turned identity thief who stole the identities of his unsuspecting clients, filed false tax returns, assumed their identities and collected their refunds, which he spent for his own personal benefit. Secured guilty verdicts on more than 30 counts of fraud and aggravated identity theft following a multi-week jury trial. Defendant was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.
• United States v. Aaron Pittman et al. One of the leaders of this 20+ defendant RICO case involving gang‑related drug trafficking, sex trafficking of minors and violent crime. Secured multiple guilty verdicts and pleas; longest sentence imposed was 11 years’ imprisonment.

News

Commentator, “Kill the Witnesses,” American Greed, Kurtis Productions, July 17, 2015

Speaking Engagements

Trial Instructor, National Advocacy Center, Columbia, South Carolina, 2025

Presenter, California Department of Justice Training Consortium, 2024

Panelist, RJS Law Tax Controversy Institute, University of San Diego School of Law, 2022, 2023, 2025

Guest Lecturer, South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium, California, 2021–2022

Guest Lecturer, University of San Diego School of Law, 2019, 2021

Thought Leadership

Co‑Author, “Using Social Media Evidence at Trial,” Department of Justice Journal of Federal Law and Practice, Volume 67, 2019

Author, “There’s a New Sheriff in Town: Will the New SEC Chairman Allow Issuers of ADRs to Use International Accounting Standards?” Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judges, 2002

Awards and Recognition

Director’s Award, U.S. Department of Justice, 2021

Leadership Award, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, 2015

Outstanding Service Award, Internal Revenue Service, 2010

Chief, Special Prosecutions Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California , 2025

Chief, Violent Crime & Human Trafficking Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, 2023-2025

Senior Litigation Counsel, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, 2020-2023

Deputy Chief, General Crimes Trial Team, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, 2012-2015

Adjunct Professor, University of San Diego School of Law, 2023

Assistant U.S. Attorney, 2007-2012, 2015-2020

Board Member and Treasurer, Federal Bar Association, San Diego Chapter, 2017-2021

Member, Welsh Inn of Court, San Diego, 2016-2018