Christopher J Cannon

Chris Cannon graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1976 and Southwestern University Law School where he was a member of the Law Review, in 1979. Following graduation, Chris clerked for two years for the Hon. William Sweigert, a United States District Judge for the Northern District of California. Chris then worked for the Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office and after a year left to join the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of California, where he remained until he established the firm of Sugarman & Cannon.

Chris has a particular expertise in fraud and tax cases, and has represented many individuals and companies charged with financial wrong doing, at trial and on appeal. In many white collar cases, his early advice and intervention has been able to convince the authorities not to file charges.

His trial victories include:

An acquittal of the president of a failed savings and loan charged with misapplying millions of dollars;

The dismissal of all charges against a major stock brokerage firm accused of criminal contempt;

An acquittal of a podiatrist charged with over-billing for medical procedures;

An acquittal for a former IRS attorney who allegedly cashed several million dollars of settlements checks at a local liquor store and did not report the income to the government;

An acquittal for a government contractor accused of making false claims in order to obtain government contracts

A manslaughter verdict for an individual originally charged with murder following allegations of extraordinarily high speed and reckless driving resulting in a collision and death, and;

A recent hung jury and subsequent dismissal of a complicated wire fraud alleging many million dollars in losses.

Chris has also represented individuals charged with tax and money laundering offenses in Canada, Grand Cayman, Israel, Luxembourg, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua, the Isle of Man, Germany, England, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Liechtenstein, Bermuda and other countries. He was also involved in the defense of the first foreign head of State to be tried in the United States since Manual Noriega and presently represents several lawyers charged with a variety of tax crimes.

In post judgment proceedings Chris secured the release of an individual serving a 30-year sentence after pleading guilty to possessing the largest quantity of methamphetamine ever seized in the United States; overturned a life sentence for a man convicted of multiple drug and weapons offenses; and restored freedom to a man serving a 25 year sentence for an assortment of fraud charges including lying to a federal judge while acting as lawyer, and in a recent habeas victory Chris secured a reversal of consecutive life sentences and the release of the defendant.

Chris is currently representing individuals accused of crimes involving crypto and blockchains, commercial gambling, and is involved in several cases where individuals have been accused of irregularities connected with the mortgage process.

He has also represented:

Numerous brokers charged regulatory offenses and criminal acts;

Many individuals and entities being investigated for or charged with securities law violations, before the SEC, multiple district courts, and in the Ninth Circuit;

Individuals and corporations charged with theft of intellectual property, trade secrets, and antitrust violations;

Individuals and corporations in debarment proceedings;

Many individuals and corporations accused of a variety of tax law violations;

Individuals charged with FDA, DEA, and Customs offenses relating to controlled substances;

Individuals involved in the internet gaming industry;

Attorneys, doctors, educators, students and law enforcement officers accused of criminal conduct and violations of professional standards;

Officers and managers of businesses accused of government contract fraud;

Numerous individuals in extradition proceedings;

Prisoners seeking international transfers;

Individuals appearing before State and Federal parole boards, and;

Individuals and corporations charged with criminal and regulatory violations during elections and related activity. 

 

Finally, Chris has represented many individuals who have been charged with drug crimes. As a criminal lawyer he has watched the marijuana business change from the importation of marijuana via ships; to a point source business with local grows, to the current era of State legalization and Federal tax complications. Chris has observed the changes in the cocaine business and he has represented many individuals accused with the design and manufacture of almost every known ethnogen.