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Fredric M. Winocur


Mr. Winocur specializes in the defense of white collar and economic crimes for both corporate and individual clients spanning a broad range of industries. He has successfully defended clients at all stages of the investigative and enforcement process, through all manner of criminal, regulatory, and civil actions including securities violations, financial fraud, healthcare fraud, mail and wire fraud, environmental crimes, consumer protection violations, public corruption, and antitrust violations. While he is increasingly called upon by general counsel or special committees of boards of directors to lead a company through both internal and external investigations, his niche practice is as counsel for individual officers and executives whose alleged conduct is at the center of an inquiry. He has defended matters brought by the Colorado Division of Securities, Colorado Attorney General, Economic Crime Units of numerous District Attorneys’ Offices, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), DOJ Antitrust Division, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Health and Human Services (HHS), Federal Election Commission (FEC), Homeland Security (DHS), and United States Attorney’s Offices in Colorado, Wyoming, California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia, New York, Chicago and Washington D.C.

His practice combines white collar defense with general criminal defense, where he is routinely retained to defend complex & high-stakes cases across the country, for clients who are often visible members of their respective business, philanthropic and political communities. He earned his reputation by winning challenging defense verdicts in over 50 jury trials. He is best known for persistently achieving extraordinary results for his clients, with an unprecedented track record of attaining either complete dismissal of all charges or avoiding indictment at the outset.

 
Representative Matters
Awards & Honors
Affiliations
Education & Bar Admissions
  • Vice President of New York stock brokerage firm in action by the Colorado Attorney General and Colorado Division of Securities for securities fraud and broker-dealer violations.

  • Vice President of global real estate holding company in federal grand jury investigation for bribery and kickback scheme.

  • Publicly traded national homebuilder in internal investigation and federal grand jury investigation for mortgage fraud.

  • Fortune 500 web-based email provider in action by the Department of Justice under the Stored Communications Act.

  • Director of Legal & Shareholder Services of public company in SEC investigation for securities fraud, insider trading, and false proxy statements.

  • President of multi-national, publicly traded company in state criminal prosecution for theft and embezzlement.

  • General Counsel of title insurance company in civil action by the Colorado Attorney General and Colorado Division of Insurance for RESPA violations.

  • National debt management company in civil enforcement action by the Colorado Attorney General for Consumer Protection Act and UDMSA violations.

  • Executive of publicly held medical device company in federal prosecution for Health Care Fraud and FDA violations.

  • Certified Financial Planner in state criminal prosecution by the Colorado Attorney General for securities fraud.

  • Colorado automobile dealership in internal investigation and parallel state criminal investigation.

  • 48th largest U.S. charity in internal investigation and parallel state criminal investigation.

  • Branch Vice President of country’s third largest commercial bank in state grand jury investigation for bank fraud and forgery.

  • Principal of IT equipment distributor in federal prosecution for trafficking in counterfeit goods.

  • Defendant in state securities fraud prosecution involving $3.2M in losses.

  • Operator of internet pharmacy in parallel investigations by the Department of Justice and the Colorado Attorney General.

  • Mine Safety Engineer of Fortune 500 gold producer in federal criminal and regulatory investigation arising from mining fatality.

  • Minerals consulting firm in federal grand jury investigation by the Department of Justice and Department of Interior.

  • Oil & gas exploration company in state grand jury investigation for securities fraud.

  • Director of Patient Services for large hospital in state grand jury investigation for benefits fraud.

  • CEO of Broomfield Chamber of Commerce in state criminal prosecution for theft and embezzlement.

  • City Manager of Commerce City in state criminal investigation for public corruption and abuse of office.

  • President of real estate development company in parallel state and federal investigation for theft and securities fraud.

  • Republican candidate for state-wide office in criminal investigation for misdemeanor theft.

  • Director of non-profit corporation in action by the Colorado Attorney General for consumer protection act violations and charitable solicitations fraud.

  • Vice President of publicly traded financial services company in state criminal prosecution for theft and embezzlement of $1.5 million in client trust funds.

  • Lawyer of the Year - Criminal Defense - Best Lawyers in America® (2024) 

  • Barrister’s Best People’s Choice Award: “Best Criminal Defense Lawyer”- Law Week Colorado (2023)

  • Barrister’s Best People’s Choice Award: “Best White Collar Defense Lawyer” - Law Week Colorado (2022) 

  • 5280 Top Lawyers – Criminal (2023,2024)

  • Best Lawyers in America® - White Collar Criminal Defense & Criminal Defense (2016 - 2023) 

  • Colorado Super Lawyers®: White Collar Defense (2006 – 2024) 

  • Top 100 Lawyers - Colorado Super Lawyers® (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) 

  • Denver Business Journal, Top 40 Under 40 (2005) 

  • Martindale Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ 

  • Fellow of the American Bar Foundation 

  • American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Committee on White Collar Crime (Rocky Mountain Regional Co-Chair, 2005-2006; Member, 2002 – )

  • Colorado Bar Association, Securities Subsection (2007 – )

  • Executive Committee, Colorado Innocence Project (2001–2009)

  • Colorado Supreme Court Committee on Criminal Jury Instructions (1997-2004)

  • Advisory Committee, Denver Justice Council (2011–2013)

  • Executive Committee, Betty Ford Children’s Center (2003-2008)

  • Northeast Denver Restorative Justice Project (2007-2008)

  • The One Hundred Club of Denver (2010–2011 )

  • Colorado Criminal Defense Bar (1992 – )

  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (1992 – )

  • American, Colorado and Denver Bar Associations

Education

Tulane University School of Law, cum laude, J.D. 1992

University of Colorado, School of Business, B.S. 1989


Bar Admissions

  • Colorado 1992

  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado 1997