George P. Varghese draws on more than a decade of leadership experience in the US Department of Justice to advise clients on litigation involving federal and state governments, as well as on other legal challenges spanning law, policy and business. 

Mr. Varghese joined WilmerHale in 2019 after 14 years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. For the past seven years, he has served in the Health Care Fraud and National Security Units in the District of Massachusetts. Among many other matters, he led the criminal investigation into a compounding pharmacy responsible for the nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak that affected nearly 800 victims. The fungal meningitis outbreak was the largest public health crisis ever caused by a pharmaceutical drug. The prosecution resulted in the conviction of 14 defendants on 169 different counts. For his work, Mr. Varghese was honored with the US Attorney’s Office Crime Victims’ Rights Recognition Award in 2017, and was nominated for the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service in 2019. In addition to his health care fraud work, Mr. Varghese co-led the initial investigation of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing attacks, as well as convicted a Rwandan national for lying about his participation in the 1994 genocide.   

From 2005–2012, Mr. Varghese served in the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, for the last three of those years as an AUSA in the National Security Section. He worked closely with federal law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community to manage a diverse portfolio of national security cases, including international and domestic terrorism, espionage, sanctions and counter-proliferation cases. Among many other matters, Mr. Varghese handled the investigation of a defendant who attempted to assassinate President Barack Obama, as well as investigations into multinational banking institutions for violations of United States sanctions laws. Mr. Varghese’s service earned him the Anti-Defamation League’s Shield Award and two US Attorney’s Office Special Achievement Awards.   

Mr. Varghese has tried more than 35 cases to verdict in the United States District Courts in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia, as well as the District of Columbia Superior Court. Mr. Varghese’s trial experience includes complex racketeering and mail fraud cases, as well as violent crimes, narcotics and firearms cases. 

Before pursuing a career in law, Mr. Varghese worked as an investment banker in New York. 

Professional Activities

Mr. Varghese serves as chair for the Boston Lawyers Group and co-chair of the Boston Bar Association’s White Collar Crime Section. He is also a member of the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston.