Ariana Fajardo Orshan Sworn in as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida

This morning, Ariana Fajardo Orshan addressed the Office after being sworn in as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.  She succeeds Benjamin G. Greenberg, who has been serving as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the district since March 4, 2017. 

On September 17, 2018, the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, K. Michael  Moore, administered the oath of office to Mrs. Fajardo Orshan, who was nominated by President Trump to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida on June 7, 2018.  The U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination on August 28, 2018. 

“I am honored to have been afforded the privilege to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, in an Office that is committed to public service and the pursuit of justice.” said U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan.  “I look forward to partnering with our dedicated federal, state and local law enforcement allies to ensure that our community is safe and the rule of law is closely guarded.” 

Prior to her appointment, Mrs. Fajardo Orshan served as a Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida and an adjunct professor at Florida International University College of Law.  She was appointed to the bench in 2012 by Governor Rick Scott.  Before becoming a judge, Mrs. Fajardo Orshan was a partner in a boutique law firm where she specialized in litigation. She began her legal career as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, where she prosecuted a wide variety of crimes, specializing in narcotics and organized crime.  Mrs. Fajardo Orshan was born and raised in Miami.  She earned her B.S. from Florida International University and her J.D. from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center.

As U.S. Attorney, Mrs. Fajardo Orshan will lead the nation’s third largest U.S. Attorney’s Office to enforce and defend the laws of the United States of America through the prosecution of diverse federal criminal cases; pursue civil cases in which the United States is a party; and collect debts owed to the Federal government that are administratively uncollectible. The Southern District of Florida encompasses a geographical area of more than 15,000 square miles extending south to Key West, north to Sebastian and west to Sebring. The Southern District includes the counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee and Highlands. Mrs. Fajardo Orshan will supervise a staff of approximately 220 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and a similar number of support personnel, in the district’s offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce.

As she accepted the honor bestowed upon her, U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan thanked Mr. Greenberg for his dedicated service to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the South Florida community.  Mr. Greenberg will remain with the Office as the First Assistant to the U.S. Attorney.