United States Attorney Zachary T. Fardon Announces Resignation

CHICAGO — Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois since 2013, today announced his resignation from the Office, effective immediately. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel R. Levin has assumed the position of United States Attorney on an acting basis.

Mr. Fardon served as United States Attorney since Oct. 23, 2013, following his appointment by President Barack Obama. Under Mr. Fardon’s leadership the Office achieved significant convictions in the areas of public corruption, terrorism, gang crimes and narcotics, among many others.

Mr. Fardon created a specialized unit within the Criminal Division to address violent crime, while increasing the Office’s prosecutions of illegal firearms to its highest in more than a decade. His tenure was also distinguished by the creation of a new section to prosecute securities and commodities fraud, which resulted in a first-of-its-kind conviction for financial spoofing.

Mr. Fardon served on the U.S. Attorney General’s Advisory Committee since 2014. A select number of U.S. Attorneys are appointed to the AGAC to advise the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country.

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago,” said Mr. Fardon. “I want to thank all of the talented men and women of the Office for their hard work and dedicated public service during my term.”

“Zach has served the citizens of the Northern District of Illinois and the United States with marvelous distinction,” said Mr. Levin. “I want to thank Zach for his service and his friendship, and I look forward to all that he will achieve in the future.”

Mr. Levin served as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney since 2014. He previously worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Wisconsin and the Northern District of California. In 1997 he joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, where he was part of the trial team, along with Mr. Fardon, that successfully prosecuted former Illinois Governor George Ryan on corruption charges.

Mr. Levin worked in private law practice from 2008 until returning to the U.S. Attorney’s Office as the First Assistant in 2014. Mr. Levin is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. He is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School.