THOMAS P. O'BRIEN, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
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The United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California (USAO) is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the Central District of California. This includes criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The USAO is headed by United States Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien.
The Central District of California (CDCA) is made up of the seven counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. 
With a population of more than 18 million, it is by far the most populous federal judicial district, with almost twice the population of the next-largest district. The district extends from the Pacific Ocean on the West to the Nevada and Arizona borders on the East, covering over 40,000 square miles. The district includes 35 cities with more than 100,000 residents, and encompasses a cultural diversity virtually unmatched in the country.
The USAO, with an authorized strength of approximately 264 Assistant United States Attorneys, is the second largest in the country (trailing only the District of Columbia Office, which, in addition to prosecuting federal crimes, also prosecutes all crimes committed within the District of Columbia, prosecutions that in other districts would be handled by local district attorneys). The USAO is divided into three litigating divisions, Criminal, Civil, and Tax , and a non-lawyer Administrative Division. The USAO's main offices are in Los Angeles. The USAO also has branch offices in Santa Ana (Orange County) and Riverside (Riverside County), which handle federal criminal cases originating in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
Reflecting the size and diversity of the district, the cases handled by the USAO are among the most significant in the country, arising from investigations that span the country and often reach overseas as well. For example, in a one week period in December 2007, the USAO handled the following cases, among others:
- Two men associated with a home-grown, prison based terrorist cell pled guilty to domestic terrorism charges for conspiring to attack military facilities and jewish targets within the district. [More]
- A Santa Barbara man was indicted for an investment scam that sold unregistered securities in internet companies. [More]
- A businessman agreed to plead guilty to making illegal campaign contributions in federal elections. [More]
- An Altadena man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a health care fraud scheme that bilked the medicare system out of $7 million. [More]
- A Los Angeles County man pled guilty to hacking into hotel business kiosks and stealing credit card information. [More]
- A film executive and his spouse were arrested on charges that they paid bribes to a Thai tourism official to obtain lucrative film festival management contracts. [More]
- Two-dozen members of a Montreal, Canada based telemarketing scam that targeted elderly victims were charged in a fraud indictment returned by a federal grand jury. [More]
- Twenty-three criminal alien gang members were charged with illegally reentering the country after deportation, a felony violation that carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. [More]
- A Brooklyn rabbi and several associates were charged with a sophisticated tax fraud and money laundering scheme that solicited millions of dollars in contributions to charitable organizations by secretly promising to refund up to 95 percent of the contributions. [More]
- A North Hollywood man who stole the identities of students and then ran up more than $400,000 in fraudulent credit card charges was sentenced to 7 years in prison. [More]
- Two Orange County women were convicted by a federal jury for their roles in a $34 million scheme to defraud health insurance companies by billing for unnecessary medical procedures. [More]
- A Ventura Hospital agreed to pay more than $1.5 million to settle civil allegations that it submitted false medicare claims. [More]
- Orange County agreed to pay $7 million to resolve a civil lawsuit alleging false billings to medicare. [More]
- The ex-finance director of Soka University of America was indicted on federal charges that he embezzled $1.7 million. [More]
- A Ventura County man pled guilty to federal charges of impersonating a CIA agent. [More]
As these cases make clear, the attorneys and staff of the USAO for the Central District of California are proud of their work, and proud to represent the United States and the more than 18 million residents of this large and culturally diverse district. It is the mission and the pledge of the USAO to do so with determination, professionalism, and integrity.