Ella Alves Capone is a senior associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.  She is a member of the White Collar Defense and Investigations and Anti-Money Laundering practice groups.  Her practice focuses primarily in the areas of white collar criminal defense, corporate compliance, and securities litigation.

Ms. Capone regularly conducts internal investigations and advises multinational corporations and financial institutions, including major banks and casinos, on compliance with anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws and regulations.  She has significant experience representing clients in white collar and securities matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the Federal Reserve Board.  Additionally, Ms. Capone has experience representing individuals and financial institutions in a variety of criminal and civil litigation, particularly including alleged securities fraud.

Ms. Capone’s practice additionally includes advising clients on the effectiveness of their internal controls and compliance programs, as well as conducting and advising on compliance due diligence for corporate deals.

Ms. Capone regularly works on international matters, with particular expertise in Latin America.  Her representative matters include several anti-corruption and corporate compliance matters in Brazil.  She is proficient in Portuguese and regularly uses Portuguese in professional contexts.

Ms. Capone’s representative matters include:

• Conducting an extensive anti-corruption internal investigation for Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras in connection with investigations by the SEC and DOJ.
• Conducting an extensive anti-corruption, AML, and securities internal investigation for a major financial institution in a matter involving engagement with DOJ, the SEC, FINRA, and banking regulators.
• Updating AML/BSA policies and procedures and conducting training for clients in the gaming industry.
• Representing a client in the gaming industry in conducting an internal investigation and engaging with DOJ and local gaming regulators.
• Representing a multinational financial institution in conducting an anti-corruption and AML internal investigation involving engagement with the UK’s Serious Fraud Office.
• Conducting pre-deal AML, anti-corruption, and sanctions due diligence and post-acquisition compliance integration in connection with corporate transactions on behalf of large financial institutions and other multinational corporations.
• Representing a large financial institution in a sanctions and AML matter involving engagement with DOJ, OFAC, and banking regulators.
• Conducting an internal investigation for a major financial institution in connection with an AML matter involving the SDNY.
• Representing a client in the gaming industry before FinCEN in an AML enforcement matter.
• Conducting an internal investigation for a defense contractor in a matter involving False Claims Act allegations.*
• Representing a major financial institution in multiple internal investigations and litigation involving mortgage fraud allegations.*
• Representing a major financial institution in FIRREA litigation in the EDNY.*
• Representing an individual in a criminal trial involving insider trading allegations.*

*Matters handled prior to joining Gibson Dunn.

Ms. Capone frequently writes and presents on anti-corruption and compliance issues.  Her recent written work includes the 2018 edition of Bloomberg BNA’s Securities Practice Series Portfolio No. 285, The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Enforcement and Compliance; the 2017, 2018, and 2019 ABA Treatise, Practice Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines; and ICLG To: Anti-Money Laundering 2018, USA.

Ms. Capone graduated from New York University School of Law in 2011, where she was a member of the Honorary Moot Court Board.  She graduated summa cum laude and with departmental honors for all years from Fordham University, where she earned a dual degree in Psychology and Sociology and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.  Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, she practiced at a major international law firm in Washington, D.C. and New York, where she specialized in white collar criminal defense, securities litigation, and internal investigations.

Ms. Capone is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and New York, as well as before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.