Allegations of Selective Prosecution and Missed Criminal Charges by SDNY under Preet Bharara after the 2008 Financial Crisis

Allegations of Selective Prosecution and Missed Criminal Charges by SDNY under Preet Bharara after the 2008 Financial Crisis The passage suggests that senior DOJ officials, including former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and Attorney General Eric Holder, deliberately limited criminal investigations into the 2008 financial collapse, focusing instead on civil penalties. It points to specific missed opportunities (e.g., no charges against Lehman, Merrill Lynch, AIG executives) and a single mid‑level banker prosecution, implying possible political or institutional interference. While the claims lack concrete evidence of wrongdoing, they identify actionable leads—interviewing insiders, reviewing case files, and tracing decision‑making memos—that could uncover selective enforcement or undue influence. Key insights: Bharara and AG Eric Holder are accused of deprioritizing criminal probes of major banks after the crisis.; Only one mid‑level banker, Kareem Serageldin, was criminally charged despite industry belief that more were involved.; SDNY under Bharara deferred jurisdiction to other U.S. attorney offices on residential mortgage‑backed securities cases.