Maryland White Collar Crime Lawyers: A Boutique Team of Federal Insiders

We’re not a large firm, and we don’t try to act like one. When you call Watson & Associates LLC, you speak with the white collar crime lawyers who will actually handle your case — not an intake coordinator, and not a junior associate three years out of law school.

Our federal white collar criminal defense team is small by design, but the backgrounds inside it are not: former federal prosecutors, a former military judge advocatee, and former federal procurement officials who once sat on the other side of the very contracts now at issue in many of our cases. We represent individual executives and large corporations alike, with the same direct attention either way.

Call 1.866.601.5518 — 24/7 free confidential consultation.

Maryland-Licensed, Backed by National Federal Experience

Bob Ayers, Of Counsel, is licensed to practice law in Maryland and has spent more than 20 years defending federal cases — not an out-of-state lawyer learning Maryland’s rules as he goes. But your case is a federal matter, and federal cases don’t change much from state to state: the same DOJ policies, the same Federal Rules of Criminal and Civil Procedure, and largely the same federal sentencing guidelines apply whether the indictment comes out of Greenbelt or Sacramento. That’s why our team’s national federal experience — built across U.S. Attorney’s offices around the country — applies directly to a Maryland case, not around it. Combined, our core team has spent more than 125 years in federal practice, as prosecutors, military counsel, and federal officials, not as generalists who happen to also take federal cases. We do not take state-level matters. That’s not a limitation — it’s what lets us bring this much depth to the federal cases we do take.

Where We Look First

Every federal white collar case the government brings has a story it’s telling about you — and somewhere in that story, there’s a gap. A weak link in the chain of custody, an assumption the agent never tested, an element of intent the evidence doesn’t actually support. Finding that gap, early, is the difference between a case that drags on for years and one that resolves on your terms. That’s where we start with every matter we take on.

Why We Don’t Take Every Case

Every matter we accept gets a full team — not one attorney working alone, but several federal insiders examining the same file from different angles. That’s a deliberate choice, and it means we turn down cases we don’t believe we can meaningfully help. If we don’t think we’re the right fit for your situation, we’ll tell you that on the first call, not after you’ve retained us.

Government Contract Fraud & Procurement Defense

Government contracting is where this firm started, and federal procurement fraud remains a core part of our white collar practice. We defend prime contractors, subcontractors, and the executives and small business owners behind them in False Claims Act, qui tam, and procurement fraud investigations — cost mischarging, bid rigging, SBA program eligibility fraud (8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB), kickback allegations under the Anti-Kickback Act, and Buy American Act or Trade Agreements Act violations among them. This page covers the criminal exposure side of contracting; for compliance counseling, bid protests, and contract disputes, see our Maryland government contracts page.

Major Fraud Against the Government

Contracts, grants, and federal assistance valued at $1,000,000 or more can trigger their own statute: the Major Fraud Act (18 U.S.C. § 1031), which carries up to 10 years in federal prison per count. It’s frequently charged alongside False Claims Act allegations in large procurement matters, and it’s a charge we handle as part of the same government contracts defense above, not a separate practice area.

Healthcare Fraud Defense: Clinics, Hospitals & Dental Practices

We also defend clinics, hospitals, dental practices, and the physicians, dentists, and executives behind them — but only once a federal agency is actually involved.

We take cases with notice of, or an active, federal healthcare fraud investigation: a Civil Investigative Demand, federal subpoena, target letter, or direct contact from DOJ, the FBI, or HHS-OIG, covering Medicare fraud and high-profile, federally-coordinated Medicaid cases. We do not conduct internal investigations or handle third-party billing disputes — for the full regulatory breakdown, see our Maryland False Claims Act page.

PPP & SBA Loan Fraud

Paycheck Protection Program and SBA loan investigations are typically charged as wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343) or false statements to a financial institution (18 U.S.C. § 1014), sometimes paired with bank fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344). DOJ continues to pursue pandemic-era lending cases years after the loans were issued. We defend business owners and executives facing these government investigations.

Wire Fraud

Wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343) covers any scheme to defraud carried out using electronic communications — email, phone, online portals — and it rarely appears as a standalone charge. It’s most often added to strengthen a government contracting or healthcare billing case once prosecutors identify electronic evidence. We handle it as part of the underlying matter, not as a separate case requiring separate strategy.

Conspiracy Charges

Federal conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 371, or 18 U.S.C. § 1349 for conspiracy to commit fraud) requires the government to show two or more people agreed to pursue an unlawful scheme. Prosecutors frequently add a conspiracy count to increase pressure and broaden who can be charged, including employees or business partners with limited direct involvement. It’s often the weakest link in the government’s case, and we scrutinize it closely.

Embezzlement & Theft of Government Funds

Federal embezzlement charges typically arise under 18 U.S.C. § 641 (theft or embezzlement of public money, property, or records) or 18 U.S.C. § 666 (theft or bribery in programs receiving federal funds) — both common in government contract and grant-funded matters. These charges hinge on intent, and an honest accounting dispute is not automatically a federal crime.

Civil Investigative Demands

A Civil Investigative Demand (CID) is the government’s primary tool for gathering documents and testimony before deciding whether to pursue a False Claims Act case, authorized under 31 U.S.C. § 3733. Receiving one does not mean you’ve been charged with anything, but how you respond shapes whether the matter advances. We help clients respond to CIDs across our government contracts and healthcare practice.

Federal Insiders on Our Team ( Meet Our Leads)

Theodore P. Watson — A retired U.S. Air Force officer and former federal procurement official, Theodore Watson leads the practice. Admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court and experienced before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, he brings over 20 years of federal practice to every case he personally oversees. Read more.

Robert “Bob” Ayers — Of Counsel and licensed to practice law in Maryland, with more than 20 years defending high-stakes federal cases, including prior experience as a federal prosecutor. Bob has represented corporate executives and public officials in fraud, bribery, and obstruction matters, known for a methodical, detail-driven approach to dismantling the government’s case. Read more.

Chris Mancini — Of Counsel, bringing 45 years of legal experience, including eight years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of both the Criminal and Civil Divisions in the Southern District of Florida. Few attorneys understand as precisely how DOJ decides whether a matter proceeds civilly, criminally, or both. Read more.

Carolyn L. Oliver — Of Counsel, with over 40 years in federal practice, including service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Major Frauds Section for the Southern District of California. She now defends the same category of case she once prosecuted. Read more.

Wise D. Allen— Of Counsel, a former Lieutenant Commander and Judge Advocate for the United States Military, Wise Allen brings federal appellate experience representing the government itself in contested litigation — a vantage point on federal procedure that few defense attorneys carry into a case. Read more.

If You’ve Received a Federal Subpoena, CID, or Target Letter

1. Don’t speak to agents or investigators without counsel present.
2. Don’t alter, delete, or reorganize any records or communications.
3. Don’t assume a document request means the matter is minor — federal investigations build quietly for months before a target knows.
4. Call experienced federal white collar counsel before you respond to anything in writing.

Whether you need a Baltimore Maryland white collar crime lawyers or a federal defense lawyer in Bethesda, our team is prepared to intervene immediately. We are the white-collar defense attorneys Maryland professionals trust across the entire state.

Call Watson & Associates, LLC today at 1-866-601-5518 for a confidential consultation with our lead federal defense team.

What CEOs and Executives Actually Want to Know

Will this stay out of the press?

Most federal white collar investigations are not public until charges are filed or a settlement is announced — sometimes years apart. Confidentiality during the investigative stage is the rule, not the exception, and how you and your company communicate internally during that period matters as much as anything done in response to the government.

Can my company keep operating, and keep its contracts, while this is pending?

In most cases, yes. An investigation alone doesn’t trigger suspension, debarment, license revocation, or contract termination — those are separate decisions the government may or may not pursue. Acting early reduces the chance that an investigation escalates into one of them.

Is this going to become a personal problem, not just a company one?

Often, the government’s real target is an individual — an executive, an owner, a billing manager — even when the company is named first. We assess this on the first call, because it changes the defense strategy from day one.

What does this actually cost, and how long does it take?

It depends on whether the matter resolves at the investigative stage or proceeds toward charges. We give a direct answer to that question early, not after you’ve already committed — vague estimates are how clients end up surprised.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you handle state-level white collar charges in Maryland?

No, and that’s by design. Federal cases follow the same DOJ policies and federal procedure regardless of state, so national federal experience applies directly to a Maryland federal matter. Splitting focus across both systems would dilute that depth — for a purely state-level charge, you need Maryland state counsel instead.

Is everyone on your team a former prosecutor?

No, and that’s intentional. The team includes former federal prosecutors, a former military judge advocate, and a former federal procurement official. That range gives us insight into how the government investigates, charges, and contracts — not just how it prosecutes.

Do you only represent individuals, or do you handle corporate matters too?

Both. We represent individual executives and large corporations, applying the same direct, hands-on attention regardless of the client’s size.

Do you take every case that calls?

No. We evaluate each matter before agreeing to represent you, because every case we take gets full attention from a full white collar criminal defense team. If we don’t believe we can help, we’ll say so directly.

Why do I see wire fraud or conspiracy charges added to my contracting or healthcare case?

Prosecutors often add these counts once they believe the evidence supports them — they’re not a separate type of case, but an additional angle on the same underlying allegation. We handle them as part of one defense strategy, not as a separate matter requiring separate counsel.

Talk to a Maryland White Collar Crime Lawyer Today

If you’re under federal investigation, call 1.866.601.5518 to speak directly with the federal white collar crime lawyers who would handle your case — not an intake line. Confidential consultations available 24/7.

START DEFENDING YOUR CASE NOW — Speak with a Federal Defense Lawyer Today