Justice Department's Criminal Division Names New No. 2

[April 24, 2014]  By Aruna Viswanatha

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The U.S. Department of Justice has named Marshall Miller as the new No. 2 official in its criminal division, after a spate of departures thinned its top ranks, according to an internal memo obtained on Wednesday.

Miller, who was most recently chief of the criminal division at the U.S. Attorney's office in Brooklyn, is now the deputy head of the 600-lawyer criminal division at department headquarters in Washington, said a DoJ memo dated April 17.

The division, which is deep into closely-watched investigations of the manipulation of interest rate benchmark as well as foreign exchange rates, has been without a Senate-confirmed head for more than a year and is still waiting for the Senate to vote on Leslie Caldwell, Obama's pick to lead it.

The division is also responsible for a range of high-profile investigations, including into foreign bribery and anti-money laundering violations.

Miller has been with the U.S. Attorney's office since 1999, prosecuting terrorism and other cases.

"He's done a great job in Brooklyn," said John Buretta, Miller's predecessor in the criminal division until last November when he joined the law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

"He's always trying to just be the backstop for everything, which really makes him, for this job, perfect," Buretta said.

Miller's appointment was first reported by The New York Times.

(Reporting by Aruna Viswanatha; editing by G. Crosse)

[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.