Damian Williams

Three years ago, Damian Williams was tapped to lead the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York—the first Black person to hold the post in the storied unit’s two-century history of prosecuting fraud, corruption, and other crimes. Since then, Williams has wasted no time in going after major targets. He led the convictions of FTX fraudster Sam Bankman-­Fried, who was sentenced in March to 25 years in prison, and of former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, who was found guilty of corruption and bribe taking. In September, his office charged Sean “Diddy” Combs with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, and conducted a wide-ranging investigation that resulted in New York City Mayor Eric Adams being indicted on federal charges, including bribery and wire fraud. Williams has turned to novel phone-cracking techniques to advance his cases, helping his office seize $2.2 billion in assets in 2023 alone. In an office where success can lead to bigger roles elsewhere, Williams is drawing notice.