United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas

01/08/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/08/2025 11:37

U.S. Attorney Hamdani announces resignation

Press Release

U.S. Attorney Hamdani announces resignation

Wednesday, January 8, 2025
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas

HOUSTON - U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani has announced he will resign as chief law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) effective midnight Jan. 19.

"Serving as the 24th Presidentially Appointed U.S. Attorney for this incredible district has been the honor of a lifetime," said Hamdani. "Over the past two years, we have made significant strides across multiple fronts, strengthening our community, upholding justice and ensuring safety for all citizens."

Hamdani was responsible for prosecuting and defending the interests of the United States in one of the largest districts in the country - covering 44,000 square miles and representing over nine million people. He oversaw over 400 employees, including approximately 200 Assistant U.S. Attorneys who cover the seven offices across the district.

In just over two years as U.S. Attorney, Hamdani led the office in approximately more than 10 thousand criminal cases against over 12 thousand defendants while maintaining an average 95% conviction rate. From fentanyl to the cartels, crimes involving children to human smuggling and white collar crime to cybercrime, Hamdani worked to ensure justice was served every day and the SDTX was a safe place to live.

The Civil Division filed more than 2,500 cases in fiscal years 2023-2024, which included a historic $85 million settlement against a cardiac imaging company. "Patients deserve care based on their medical need and not on a doctor or company's financial interest or gain," Hamdani said. The Texas Medical Center also agreed to pay a record $15 million for allegations of concurrent billing claims for critical surgeries.

The office was at the forefront of numerous new and ongoing issues to include violent crime, which was at record levels when he took office. He made several announcements on numerous cases against felons illegally in possession of firearms to those involving known gang members. As part of those efforts, the office partnered with the Department of Justice's Violent Crime and Racketeering Section as part of the Department's Violent Crime Initiative which contributed to a reduction in violent crime over the past two years.

He also worked with the three other Texas U.S. Attorneys in a coordinated announcement on a statewide effort targeting machine gun conversion devices.

Hamdani placed particular emphasis on cases linked to Mexican cartels, often noting how their violence spreads into the district. This included a matter out of the Galveston Division which saw the arrest of 23 in a poly-drug indictment. Noting that "Fentanyl-laced pills disguised as something else are killing our kids," Hamdani and his office targeted those dealing the drug that destroys lives and families and anyone who provided it to others. As part of the effort, Hamdani also announced charges against a Chinese national for his alleged part in a conspiracy involving the importation of what is believed to be the largest amount of fentanyl precursors - chemicals used to make fentanyl - in the SDTX.

He also targeted cybercrime, often speaking and participating in numerous conferences on the topic. In one matter of note, the office helped disrupt a botnet that used hundreds of U.S.-based small office/home office routers so that People's Republic of China state-sponsored hackers could monitor key parts of American infrastructure.

USA Alamdar Hamdani speaking at a cybersecurity summit in 2023

Spending much of his career prosecuting cases involving national security matters, Hamdani continued that focus as U.S. Attorney, from those attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization to another who allegedly exported U.S. technology to Iran.

Hamdani's office also targeted deadly human smuggling organizations, including a Brownsville matter that saw the conviction of six men who were charged in an alien smuggling ring which resulted in the death of eight people. To further combat the issue, the office also participated in Joint Task Force Alpha, which the Attorney General created to marshal and combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. And just a few weeks ago, as part of that mission, the office unsealed charges against several defendants for the death of over 50 migrants in an overturned trailer in Chiapas, Mexico.

A similar issue due to the proximity to the border is human trafficking, and the office continued its efforts to combat this troubling crime throughout the district and provide for victims, such as a woman who received 30 years for forcing young girls to engage in commercial sex.

A father himself, Hamdani also sought to make sure those committing crimes against children were held accountable. One such criminal was recently sentenced to 100 years in prison for raping two children. On the other end of the spectrum, he emphasized protecting the elderly from those who take advantage of them, such as those who tricked a WWII veteran out of $300,000 to many that are involved in Indian call centers who often target the elderly.

The office increased efforts to hold those committing white collar crime and health care fraud accountable, such as a Houston man who was convicted in a $160M Medicare fraud scheme. Another significant matter and a focus of the office was a company charged with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act who agreed to pay $160 million. "Prosecuting and investigating this type of crime is an important role our office takes seriously in order to ensure fair and equal playing fields for U.S. companies and consumers," Hamdani noted.

In October 2023, Attorney General Merrick Garland picked Hamdani to serve on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee. Hamdani, along with 13 other U.S. Attorneys, advised the Attorney General on behalf of the U.S. Attorney community. While in this role, he also led the Border and Immigration Law Enforcement Subcommittee which included U.S. Attorneys along the Northern and Southern borders working together to secure both those borders from transnational criminal organizations, cartels, gun, drugs and human smuggling.

During his tenure, Hamdani made it a priority to get the news of the office's important work to the people, so as to inform some and deter others from committing crime. He used multiple platforms, including the use of social media clips, to ensure these messages were heard.

He is proud to have run his office under the "mama rule." Citing his own mother's history as a poor migrant and her age, his mantra was that you treat and protect others as you would your own "mama."

Hamdani was the first Asian in Texas that was presidentially appointed and senate confirmed as U.S. Attorney. He was born in England to Indian parents who had moved there from India. The family immigrated to Texas when he was 10. He received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 1999 and his B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993.

Hamdani joined the SDTX in 2014, but has been with the Department of Justice since 2008. As an AUSA with the SDTX, he was primarily responsible for the investigation and prosecution of national security and official corruption crimes. From 2010 to 2014, Hamdani served in the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice's National Security Division, holding the position of deputy chief from 2012 to 2014. Before that, he was an AUSA in the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Prior to his government service, Hamdani was in private practice.

He is married and is a proud father of two teenagers, a University of Texas Longhorn and Bellaire High School Cardinal.

As he departs the office, he is reminded of the privilege he enjoyed to lead a group of dedicated public servants who work every day to make Texas safer, noting that "we love mercy, walk humbly and always, always, seek justice."

Updated January 8, 2025
Topic
Office and Personnel Updates