Elena Fast, Criminal Defense Attorney in New York

Elena represents individuals and corporations charged with the most serious federal crimes including wire/ mail fraud, securities and bank fraud, money laundering, violations of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), insurance fraud, federal tax violations, cybercrime, homicide and narcotics and weapons trafficking. In state courts, Elena represents clients charged with financial crimes, attempted murder, sex crimes, child pornography, narcotics and weapons possession, and violent assaults.

Prior to private practice, Elena worked as a Felony Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York where she handled thousands of cases from arraignment to disposition. During her six years at the District Attorney’s Office, Elena investigated and prosecuted a wide array of crimes. She has tried dozens of cases to verdict, ranging from misdemeanors to violent felonies.

Elena has presented over 200 cases to the Grand Jury for murder, assault, kidnapping, home invasion, pattern robberies and burglaries, grand larceny, narcotics and firearm possession. Elena frequently worked with the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on long-term investigations involving identity theft, schemes to defraud, bank fraud, insurance fraud and possession of forged instruments and forgery devices.

As a Brooklyn prosecutor, Elena prosecuted several high profile cases. Notably, Elena handled the double homicide prosecution of Nikolai Rakossi, the “Russian Rambo.” It was the first case in New York history to proceed to trial in the Russian Federation due to lack of extradition. Elena worked in conjunction with the Department of Justice, the Tula Region Prosecutors Office and other Russian authorities on the transfer of prosecution to Russia, Rakossi’s apprehension and subsequent trial in the City of Tula. Rakossi was found guilty and received the maximum sentence of 19 years in a Russian prison camp.

Elena attended the night division of New York Law School and participated in Moot Court. During law school, Elena worked as an investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration. During her tenure with the Department of Labor, Elena investigated fraud, theft, and mismanagement of employer-sponsored healthcare and pension plans. Prior to law school, Elena worked in financial roles at Vicis Capital UK and State Street Global Advisors.

Elena graduated first in her class from the College of Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She completed part of her undergraduate coursework at Said Business School at the University of Oxford. Elena is fluent in Russian.

Elena is admitted to practice before the State Bar of New York, the State Bar of New Jersey, Supreme Court of the United States, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and United States District Courts: The Southern District of New York, The Eastern District of New York, The Western District of New York, The Northern District of New York, The Northern District of Illinois, The District of New Jersey and The District of Connecticut. Elena is a member of The First Decade Committee of the Federal Bar Council and the New York Criminal Bar Association.