Roger B. Handberg Attorney At Law

Seasoned former U.S. Attorney and Harvard-trained litigator. Brings DOJ insight and proven firepower to high-stakes white collar defense, government investigations, and complex litigation.

Roger Handberg brings over two decades of frontline prosecutorial and litigation experience to GrayRobinson’s criminal and white-collar defense practice. As the former United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, one of the largest and most active federal jurisdictions in the country, Roger led the office through a period of historic enforcement activity, supervising complex criminal, civil, and national security matters that generated billions in recoveries and touched nearly every corner of federal law. As U.S. Attorney, Roger directed an office of more than 120 attorneys and oversaw a 60% increase in criminal filings.

Recognized for his prosecutorial precision and strategic command of high-stakes litigation, Roger has earned a national reputation for successfully managing major financial crime, public corruption, and regulatory enforcement cases. His DOJ insights and courtroom credibility make him a powerful ally to clients facing parallel civil, criminal, and reputational risks.

Roger now represents corporations, financial institutions, boards, and senior executives confronting government investigations, enforcement actions, and enterprise-threatening allegations. He helps clients preempt exposure, mitigate liability, and protect their interests across forums, leveraging his knowledge of DOJ charging strategies, investigative priorities, and trial tactics to deliver strong outcomes.

Prior to serving as U.S. Attorney, Roger held senior posts within the DOJ and the Florida Attorney General’s Office, including Criminal Chief, Chief of the Orlando Division, Senior Litigation Counsel, and Senior Assistant Attorney General. This deep institutional experience informs his pragmatic, proactive approach to client defense and crisis response.
 

• Notable Work

  As a former federal prosecutor, Roger has extensive experience handling white collar and public corruption matters, including more than $500 million in successfully prosecuted fraud cases:

  • Former public official sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for sex trafficking of a child, production of a false identification document, aggravated identity theft, stalking, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States.
  • Orlando man sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for over $300 million in fraud.
  • Managing members of investment funds sentenced to nine years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy.
  • Former police chief sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for bribery.
  • Former Florida House of Representatives member sentenced to 13 months in federal prison for wire fraud.

  As U.S. Attorney, Roger supervised every aspect of the operations of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the second-largest district in the country by population. Under his leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

  • Strengthened the Civil Division, achieving more than $500 million in fraud recoveries and settlements under the federal False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Law, and other statutes.
  • Prosecuted over 500 white-collar matters, securing more than $1 billion in restitution for victims.
  • Charged over 750 defendants with firearms violations, including a record-setting year in 2024.
  • Brought more than 340 cases involving child exploitation and human trafficking, with unprecedented annual totals.
  • Doubled Fentanyl trafficking prosecutions and seized over 80 million fatal-dose units.
  • Expanded the National Security Section and created a Civil Rights Unit.

  As a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Florida Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division, Roger handled a wide variety of investigations and matters involving Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, the civil RICO Act, and the False Claims Act:

  • Participated as one of the lead attorneys in the investigation of an automobile manufacturer related to tire failures that had led to rollover accidents.
  • Argued two cases in Florida District Courts of Appeal regarding authority to issue RICO investigative subpoenas (Advance America LLC v. State, 801 So.2d 310 (Fla. 1st DCA 2001) and Check ‘n Go of Florida, Inc. v. State, 790 So.2d 454 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001).
• Insights
  • “Commentary: Remember our heroes during National Police Week,” Co-Author Kenneth D. Robinson, Orlando Sentinel, April 29, 2025
  • “U.S. Attorney: Jacksonville service members might be missing out on financial protections,” Florida Times-Union, February 8, 2025
  • “Fentanyl caused deaths down in Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties | Opinion,” Fort Myers News-Press, February 2, 2025
  • “Servicemembers should use financial protection,” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, January 15, 2025
  • “Violent neighborhood crime is a focus, Orlando’s top federal prosecutor writes,” Orlando Sentinel, November 27, 2024
  • “U.S. Attorney: Public corruption is my office’s top issue. That’s why we prosecuted the JEA case,” Florida Times-Union, August 29, 2024
  • “U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg comments on JEA case,” Jacksonville Daily Record, August 22, 2024
  • “Protecting rights of veterans, servicemembers is vital,” Orlando Sentinel, July 9, 2023
  • “’United against hate’: U.S. Attorney’s office works tirelessly to investigate hate crimes,” Florida Times-Union, September 2023
  • “Roger Handberg: Praise for City of Jacksonville’s response to disabled housing lawsuit,” Florida Times-Union, July 2022
  • “The Opioid Epidemic in Florida,” Florida Bar Journal, May/June 2020
  • “Booker: The First 10 Years in Florida,” Florida Bar Journal, January 2017
  • “The Florida Attorney General’s Environmental Protection Authority,” Florida Bar Journal, November 2011
  • “The Enforcement of Investigative Subpoenas Issued by Administrative Agencies: An Analysis of Common Defenses,” Florida Bar Journal, October 2002
• Media
  • “United States Attorney’s Office Announces Departure of Roger B. Handberg as U.S. Attorney,” justice.gov, February 18, 2025
  • “Venice medical company to pay up to $4.9 million in false claims case,” Business Observer, January 31, 2025.
  • “Justice Department files nationwide lawsuit against Walgreens,” Drug Store News, January 21, 2025
  • “Federal investigators describe crime spree sparking brutal Seminole carjacking,” Orlando Sentinel, January 16, 2025.
  • “Number of Floridians Supplying Drug Cartels Outside U.S. With Guns On The Rise, U.S. Attorney Says,” News4JAX The Local Station, November 25, 2024
  • “Hillsborough ophthalmology practice to pay $1.3M in false claims case,” Business Observer, November 12, 2024
  • “Inside U.S. District Attorney Roger Handberg’s Historic White-Collar Crackdown,” The Business Journals, October 4, 2024
  • “Pasco, Lee Hospitals named in $20M federal settlement,” Business Observer, September 26, 2024
  • “U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg Describes Fentanyl’s Toll,” FlaglerLive.com, September 18, 2024
  • “Walgreens to Pay $106.8 Million Over Alleged Fraudulent Healthcare Billings,” Wall Street Journal, September 13, 2024
  • “Tampa health care company to pay $14.9 million in false claims settlement” Business Observer, June 8, 2024
  • “U.S. Attorney Highlights Recent Prosecutions Of True Threats And Hate Crimes Cases, Will Continue To Pursue These Cases In Federal Court,” justice.gov, February 1, 2024
  • “Tampa Bay’s New Top Federal Prosecutor Aims For Bigger Cases,” Tampa Bay Times, May 27, 2022
  • “Tampa medical group to pay $24.5 million fine to settle DOJ claims,” Business Observer, April 12, 2022
  • “Florida-based communications carrier TracFone to pay $13.4 million settlement, DOJ says,” Orlando Sentinel, April 6, 2022
  • “Joel Greenberg’s Prosecutor Gets A Promotion. Great. Let’s Prosecute Some More,” Orlando Sentinel, December 29, 2021
• Affiliations
  • American Bar Association
    • White Collar Crime Committee, 2009-2017
    • Florida Subcommittee, Chair, 2009-2017
  • Atlanta Committee of Younger Lawyers
    • Board of Directors, 1996-1999
  • Federal Bar Association, Orlando Chapter
    • Board of Directors, 2018-2022
  • Florida Attorney General’s Office, Economic Crimes Division
    • Senior Assistant Attorney General, 1999-2002
  • George C. Young American Inn of Court
    • President, 2021-2022
    • Board of Directors, 2009-2022
  • Orange County Bar Association
    • Criminal Law Committee, Chair, 2006
  • U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida
    • U.S. Attorney, 2021-2025
    • Assistant U.S. Attorney, 2002-2021
• Credentials
  • J.D., Harvard Law School, 1994, cum laude
  • B.A., University of North Carolina, 1991, with highest distinction and with honors
• Admissions
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida