We use cookies on our website. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our site and how to change your cookie settings please view our Cookie Statement.
By continuing to use this site without changing your settings you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Statement.

Senior Staff

Christopher Urben

Managing Director
Our People/Christopher Urben

Christopher Urben is a Managing Director based in Nardello & Co.’s Washington, DC office. With 25 years of global investigative experience with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, Chris has an incredible track record of leading sophisticated international money laundering and threat finance investigations.

Prior to joining the firm, Chris was responsible for developing and leading sensitive global undercover DEA operations that dismantled several of the most significant transnational criminal organizations. Having extensive working relationships with the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, he is proficient in building successful cases resulting in either plea deals or convictions.

MORE +

Representative matters
  • In a joint undercover investigation, trial, and decision by the Danish Supreme Court, a new case law was established that negated the agent provocateur law and allowed for more aggressive undercover investigations in Denmark. This legal decision had a domino effect with the other regional countries. Chris conducted joint training programs in Sweden, Norway, and Finland to implement this new legal precedent.
  • Chris supervised a multi-year international undercover money laundering investigation of businesses and banks that resulted in the convictions of more than 50 people for trade-based money laundering violations. He also supervised the investigation and conviction at a SDNY trial of a Texas perfume wholesaler for conducting trade-based money laundering tens of millions of dollars for the Sinaloa drug cartel.
  • Chris built and the led the global team that included investigators from over a dozen countries that investigated and convicted one of the most significant Russian organized crime figures, Ricardo Fanchini aka the “Al Capone of Europe.” This investigation focused on the global money laundering apparatus that Fanchini had established.
  • Chris built and maintained high-level engagements with offices in the Far East and host country law enforcement partners. He established a system of seamless law enforcement strategies and operations aimed at countering/dismantling the global Chinese organized crime and money laundering threat. Chris synchronized and developed targeting networks to identify and infiltrate Chinese money laundering organization operating globally, spearheaded a source recruitment and global intelligence network within the United States and the Far East to identify Chinese transnational organized crime leadership, and developed a data analytics targeting model to supply insight and leads to the field to disrupt Chinese money laundering cells operating in the US.

MORE +

Just the Facts
Education
  • BS, Accounting, Villanova University
Awards
  • DEA Administrator's Award for Outstanding Achievement (2019)
  • Angel Guard Star and Police Medal Lithuanian Republic Police Commissioner General (2018)
  • The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (2017)
  • DEA Administrator's Award for Outstanding Achievement (2016)
  • Regional OCDETF New York/New Jersey Award (2012)
  • The Totally National Award for the Outstanding HIDTA National Task Force of the Year Award (2011)
  • INEOA International Award of Honor (European Money Laundering)
  • FLEOA Group Achievement Award (Operations Double Tap)
  • OCDETF Regional New York/New Jersey Award (2003)
  • DEA Administrator's Group Achievement Award (1999)
Contact

Christopher Urben

Managing Director

1401 K Street, NW, Suite 725
Washington, DC 20005
T: +1 202 545 3000
F: +1 202 379 3299
curben@nardelloandco.com

Region
OUR FIRM

We've got you covered

EXPERIENCE

We get to the truth before
it's too late

CONTACT US

Why risk it?