Marc Agnifilo is an American lawyer who specializes in criminal defense, civil litigation, and appellate practice. He has been involved in some of the most high-profile and controversial cases in recent history, representing clients such as Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Martin Shkreli, Harvey Weinstein, and Keith Raniere. In this article, we will explore his background, career, and personal life.

Early Life and Education

Marc A. Agnifilo was born in the Bronx, New York on August 10, 1964. He graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1990

Legal Career

Agnifilo began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, where he prosecuted various crimes, including homicide, robbery, and narcotics. He then joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, where he served as the chief of the Violent Crimes Unit and handled cases involving racketeering, corruption, terrorism, and organized crime.

In 2006, Agnifilo left the government and joined the Manhattan-based law firm Brafman & Associates, led by Benjamin Brafman, a renowned criminal defense attorney. Since then, he has been the lead counsel on some of the most complex and serious criminal cases in the country, as well as international matters.

Some of his notable clients and cases include:

  • Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, who was accused of sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a hotel maid in New York in 2011. Agnifilo and his team successfully argued that the accuser had credibility issues and the charges were dismissed.
  • Martin Shkreli, the former pharmaceutical executive, who was dubbed “the most hated man in America” and “Pharma Bro” by the media for raising the price of a life-saving drug by 5,000%. Agnifilo defended Shkreli against three counts of fraud related to his hedge fund and biotech company in 2017. Shkreli was convicted on two counts and acquitted on one, and sentenced to seven years in prison and ordered to forfeit $7.4 million .
  • Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood mogul, who was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and rape involving several women in New York and Los Angeles in 2018. Agnifilo was part of Weinstein’s legal team until he was replaced by another lawyer in 2019. Weinstein was convicted on two counts and sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020 .
  • Keith Raniere, the founder and leader of NXIVM, a self-help organization that was exposed as a cult that enslaved and branded women, among other crimes. Agnifilo represented Raniere in his trial in 2019, where he argued that Raniere’s actions were consensual and that the government was targeting him for his unconventional lifestyle. Raniere was found guilty on all counts, including racketeering, sex trafficking, and forced labor, and sentenced to 120 years in prison in 2020 .

Personal Life

Agnifilo is married to Karen Friedman Agnifilo, who is the chief of the trial division in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. They have three children and live in Upstate New York.

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