G. Norman Acker, III to Serve as Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. – G. Norman Acker, III has begun serving as the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, following the departure of U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. on February 27, 2021. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Acker has served as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) for more than thirty years.  During his tenure he has litigated numerous civil and criminal cases in United States District Court as well as in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.  He was the Deputy Civil Chief and the Civil Chief for a total of 18 years, and for the last 3 years has served as the First Assistant United States Attorney, supervising the work of the Civil, Criminal and Appellate Divisions.

“It is an honor and a privilege to represent the people of the United States in Federal Court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Acker. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has worked closely with Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies over the past several years to protect the citizens of the Eastern District of North Carolina, and I pledge to do my best to continue this important work.”

While working as an AUSA, Mr. Acker’s primary focus of litigation was pursuing individuals and corporations who committed fraud against the United States. He was the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Coordinator and the Health Care Fraud Coordinator for the office. He handled “white collar” cases involving contract fraud against the military, health care fraud against the Medicare and Medicaid programs, as well as many other types of fraud against the government. 

During his tenure as an AUSA, he has received numerous awards, including the Commander’s Award for Public Service, the Army’s highest civilian medal, in appreciation for judgments and settlements totaling several million dollars, and the Health and Human Services Inspector General’s Integrity Award for a criminal prosecution that resulted in a related civil settlement of more than $23 million.  In addition, Mr. Acker was the lead attorney in two month-long trials against Tuomey Hospital for Medicare fraud that resulted in a judgment for $237 million against the hospital.

Mr. Acker has served as the Professional Responsibility Officer for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for many years, and he also served for several years on the North Carolina State Bar Ethics Committee.

Mr. Acker was born and raised in Raleigh and is a lifelong resident of the Research Triangle area.  He received both his undergraduate degree and his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He has been married for 37 years and has three grown children and four grandchildren.