U.S. Attorney Names New Civil Division Appointments

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced two new appointments within the Office’s Civil Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Molot has been named Chief of the Civil Division’s Affirmative Enforcement Unit, which pursues claims on behalf of the United States in cases involving health care fraud, defense contractor fraud, drug diversion and forfeitures, as well as civil rights and environmental violations.

Mr. Molot joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Connecticut in 2000 after serving as an AUSA in the Eastern District of New York for six years.  In Connecticut, Mr. Molot has served as the Civil Health Care Fraud Coordinator, investigating and prosecuting False Claims Act cases involving Medicare and Medicaid fraud, and coordinating investigations with various federal and state agencies responsible for protecting federal health care programs.  Prior to joining the Justice Department, Mr. Molot was in private practice for four years, and served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge John M. Cannella in the Southern District of New York.  He is a 1985 graduate of Union College and a 1988 graduate of Fordham University School of Law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McConaghy has been named Chief of the Civil Division’s Defensive Unit, which defends claims filed against the United States, including tort, medical malpractice, employment discrimination, immigration and foreclosures.  The Defensive Unit also defends claims brought against individual federal employees (“Bivens” claims).

Since joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2007, Ms. McConaghy has primarily handled matters involving immigration law as well as defensive civil rights and tort litigation.  Prior to her time in the Office, Ms. McConaghy served as a law clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport, and was a paralegal in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island for 10 years.  She is a 1999 graduate of Roger Williams University and a 2005 graduate of Roger Williams University School of Law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Hughes remains the longstanding Chief of the Civil Division.

“Michelle McConaghy and Rick Molot are experienced and highly-effective civil litigators well-respected inside our Office and within the broader legal community,” stated U.S. Attorney Daly.  “Enthusiastic and dedicated public servants, they also possess excellent judgment.  We thank them for stepping up to take on these leadership responsibilities.  Together with John Hughes, our revered Civil Chief, they will be a top notch team.”

The Civil Division also has a Financial Litigation Unit, headed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Sciarrino, which is responsible for collecting debts owed to the United States. 

Over the last few years, the Civil Division has prioritized its Civil Rights enforcement program which brings civil rights actions to enforce federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin and to recover damages for victims of civil rights violations.  The majority of the civil rights cases are brought to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) and the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA).

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, which also enforces federal criminal laws in Connecticut, is composed of approximately 64 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and approximately 60 staff members at offices in New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov