U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath Concludes Tenure as Chief Law Enforcement Officer in Southern District of California

SAN DIEGO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California announced that U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath’s tenure as the chief federal law enforcement official for San Diego and Imperial counties ended today, February 12, 2025.

As a Presidential appointee, Ms. McGrath was informed of her termination in a communication from the White House, at the direction of the President of the United States. The White House also thanked Ms. McGrath for her service to the nation.

“It has been an honor to serve as U.S. Attorney, working alongside an exceptional team in this office and forging strong partnerships with our law enforcement agencies and communities in pursuit of justice,” Ms. McGrath said. “As I step down from a decades-long career in public service, I remain inspired by dedicated public servants across this district and am proud of all we achieved together.”

Ms. McGrath was confirmed by the U.S. Senate after nomination by President Biden. She was sworn in as the district’s top federal law enforcement official on October 5, 2023. She oversaw one of the nation’s busiest United States Attorney’s Offices, which has a staff of about 300 and serves approximately 3.5 million residents in San Diego and Imperial counties.

During her tenure, Ms. McGrath prioritized protecting the community from the deadly scourge of fentanyl; investigating and prosecuting scammers targeting vulnerable populations; getting firearms out of the hands of felons and violent offenders; bringing cases to root out corruption and enforce civil rights; and using the legal tools available to safeguard the environment. The office also successfully prosecuted cases involving Mexican drug cartels and drug trafficking — leading the nation in the number of drug trafficking cases prosecuted — as well as firearms trafficking and violent crime; complex financial frauds; national security and cybersecurity; and human smuggling and trafficking.

Some key accomplishments of the U.S. Attorney’s Office under Ms. McGrath’s leadership:

• Became first in the nation to charge defendants for smuggling potent greenhouse gases across the U.S.-Mexico border, in violation of U.S. environmental laws.
• Secured sentences of six consecutive life terms and 45 years, respectively, for brothers convicted of murdering their American half-sister, her three children, and her partner in Tijuana.
• Reinforced the region’s Elder Justice Task Force in partnership with the FBI and San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, recovering approximately $4.5 million stolen from elderly victims through sophisticated scams.
• Charged 40 individuals with stealing public-assistance benefits from low-income families, as part of an ongoing effort targeting thieves who exploit the government’s electronic payment system.
• Negotiated a $130,131,645 forfeiture settlement with Wynn Las Vegas for criminal conspiracy involving unlicensed money transmitting businesses worldwide. Achieved what is believed to be the largest forfeiture by a casino based on admissions of criminal wrongdoing.
• Secured conviction at trial against a defendant on 25 counts of securities fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering in connection with a $35 million investment and COVID-relief fraud scheme. Highlighted victim impact during the trial, including the defendant’s immigrant uncle who’d been swindled out of $4.5 million and many other victims who collectively lost millions of dollars.
• Facilitated the extradition of Michael Pratt, the alleged mastermind behind the GirlsDoPorn commercial sex trafficking ring, following his arrest in Spain after more than three years as an international fugitive.

Ms. McGrath also oversaw key civil cases, including successful defensive litigation on behalf of the United States, and led efforts to recover millions of dollars from individuals and companies involved in fraud and civil rights violations.

Since Ms. McGrath took the helm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has obtained settlements and recoveries in excess of $41 million. This includes cases brought under the False Claims Act across a broad spectrum of program areas including health care, defense procurement, and the Paycheck Protection Program enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These substantial recoveries also involved matters investigated under the Controlled Substances Act in response to the opioid epidemic, including those against a large-scale pharmacy and other DEA registrants for failing to meet their obligations to properly handle and dispense opioids and other dangerous controlled substances.   

Pursuant to the Vacancies Reform Act, career prosecutor and current First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Andrew R. Haden, has taken over as the Acting United States Attorney, effective today.

For more information about Ms. McGrath, please see Tara McGrath Sworn In