- March 28, 2024
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Brian Albritton took an unusual path to become the Gulf Coast's top federal prosecutor, a job where he says knew any day could be his last.
That day has come. Albritton, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, resigned his position, effective Oct. 5. Robert O'Neil, a veteran prosecutor in the office who was interim U.S. Attorney in 2007, replaces Albritton.
“When you start this job,” Albritton tells Coffee Talk, “you know it's going to be for a limited period of time.”
Still, Albritton says he believes the office, with a district headquarters in Tampa, made significant strides in advancing the fight against white-collar crime under his leadership.
Specifically, Albritton cites the mortgage fraud surge he launched in early 2009. That was an effort to investigate and prosecute mortgage fraud crimes that stemmed from the recession. The surge stretched the entire district, from Jacksonville to Naples, and included the FBI and local police departments — entities that don't always cooperate well. “We all came together to go after mortgage fraud,” says Albritton.
Within 10 months, the surge led to more than 100 arrests involving 400 properties and $700 million in fraudulent loans, according to a U.S. Attorney's office press release.
Moreover, information in the first surge led to enough evidence to start a second, still-going surge and the office's research methods have become learning tools for other U.S. Attorney offices nationwide.
“Just getting the documents could be a challenge, but we accelerated the process,” says Albritton.
Albritton survived a lengthy confirmation process in the U.S. Senate before he was sworn in Oct. 15, 2008. A registered Republican, Albritton was one of a few U.S. Attorneys to initially be retained under the Obama Administration. His tenure was also rare for its originations: Albritton was a practicing white-collar criminal defense attorney for Holland & Knight when the position became available. He pursued it and got it, even though most U.S. Attorneys are career prosecutors, not 18-year veteran defense lawyers. (See Business Review, March 5, 2009.)
Albritton nonetheless looks forward to a return to private practice — after a three-week vacation that will include helping his mom move from Tallahassee to the Tampa area. “I have been blessed to be a part of this office,” says Albritton. “I leave with great satisfaction.”