Preet Bharara

Preet Bharara – Life, Career, and Memorable Insights

Preet Bharara is a high-profile American attorney and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Read his journey from immigrant to “Sheriff of Wall Street,” his key prosecutions, philosophy, and most resonant quotes.

Introduction

Preetinder Singh Bharara (born October 13, 1968) is an Indian-American lawyer, activist, and public servant known for his rigorous and often headline-making tenure as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) from 2009 to 2017. He earned a reputation for going after corruption, insider trading, and organized crime — regardless of political connections. His work has made him a model of prosecutorial boldness and integrity in contemporary U.S. public life.

In this article, we trace his early life, path into law, landmark cases, philosophy and style, memorable statements, and the lessons we can draw from his career.

Early Life and Family

Preet Bharara was born in Firozpur, Punjab, India on October 13, 1968.

He grew up in suburban New Jersey (Eatontown, Monmouth County) and attended Ranney School in Tinton Falls, NJ, graduating as valedictorian in 1986.

From childhood onward, Bharara had a strong sense of justice, influenced by reading Inherit the Wind in seventh grade, which inspired his desire to become a lawyer.

Education & Early Legal Career

After high school, Bharara enrolled at Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude in 1990. Columbia Law School, obtaining his J.D. in 1993, where he was a member of the Columbia Law Review.

His early legal work included time as a litigation associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, followed by work in white-collar defense at Shereff, Friedman, Hoffman & Goodman.

In 2000, Bharara entered public service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. In that role, he led prosecutions of organized crime bosses (e.g. Gambino and Colombo families) and Asian gang networks.

From 2005 to 2009, he was chief counsel to Senator Chuck Schumer, playing a key role in investigations such as the dismissals of U.S. attorneys in 2006.

U.S. Attorney for SDNY (2009–2017)

In May 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Bharara to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. His nomination was confirmed unanimously by the Senate, and he took office on August 13, 2009.

Focus & Philosophy

As U.S. Attorney, Bharara placed emphasis on independence, transparency, and aggressive prosecution of financial crimes, public corruption, organized crime, and terrorism. absolute independence, and he strove to avoid political interference.

He also advocated handling terrorism suspects in civilian courts rather than secret military commissions, believing that transparency and rule of law bolster legitimacy.

Notable Cases & Achievements

• Insider trading / Hedge funds / Wall Street: Bharara’s office prosecuted nearly 100 individuals in insider trading and securities fraud cases, including the high-profile Galleon case (Raj Rajaratnam).

• Banks & mortgage misconduct: He brought significant civil and criminal pressure on major banks, including settlements and lawsuits related to risky loans.

• Public corruption: Bharara’s office indicted and convicted numerous state and local officials, including New York legislators and public contractors.

• Organized crime & gangs: He led major takedowns of drug trafficking networks, sweeping operations against gang violence, and racketeering charges against mafia families.

• High-profile prosecutions: Notable was the art fraud case involving the Knoedler Gallery (forgeries) and the Toyota deferred prosecution case in 2014 (for safety defects) under his office.

• Diverse reach: Bharara’s office operated globally, coordinating investigations in 25+ countries, particularly in money laundering, tax fraud, and cross-border crimes.

• Dramatic incidents: In 2013, his office prosecuted the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, which led to diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and India.

Bharara’s office became known (some critics said controversially) for creative tactics such as 'speaking complaints'—complaints written in dramatic, public narrative style to increase transparency and deterrence.

Dismissal & Aftermath

In March 2017, under the new Trump administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered all U.S. attorneys appointed under Obama to resign. Bharara declined, and was dismissed the next day.

After leaving the office, Bharara went on to join NYU School of Law as a Distinguished Scholar in Residence. WilmerHale as a partner, focusing on investigations and criminal litigation matters.

He also launched media and public engagement projects: the podcasts Stay Tuned with Preet (solo interviews) and CAFE Insider (legal commentary) are among his continuing public platforms.

Personality, Philosophy & Style

From his public record and commentary, several traits characterize Bharara’s mindset:

• Fearless & aggressive but principled: He pursued both powerful financial and political actors with zeal, but stressed the importance of law, fairness, and integrity.

• Transparency & storytelling: The use of speaking complaints and public narratives shows he valued making prosecutions understandable to the public.

• Independence above politics: He resisted political pressure, emphasized prosecutorial autonomy, and declined to resign when ordered.

• Moral conviction: He frames law enforcement not just as punitive but as a means to protect public trust, fairness, and accountability.

• Self-reflection & humility: He often speaks about internal doubts, limits, and the tension between power and responsibility.

Famous Quotes

Here are several notable quotations from Preet Bharara:

“Self-doubt in moderation is animating and motivating, not paralyzing. Leaders who have purged themselves of all self-doubt will not be leaders for long and, in my view, are dangerous while in command. I learned, over time, that self-doubt is my friend, and arrogance my enemy.”

“After all, every human being’s life in this world is inevitably mixed with every other life … unless the people we meet are kindly and decent and human and liberty-loving, then there is no liberty.”

“I just want to apologize in advance that I don’t have enough subpoenas for all of you.” (said to a business audience)

“Insider trading tells everybody at precisely the wrong time that everything is rigged, … only people who have a billion dollars … Messing with fair markets harms trust.”

These quotes reflect his combination of humility, ambition, legal seriousness, and rhetorical flair.

Lessons from Preet Bharara’s Career

1. Power must be matched by principle
   Bharara’s legacy shows that bold prosecution is meaningful only when anchored in rule of law, fairness, and integrity.

2. Transparency amplifies legitimacy
   By making the legal narrative clear and public, he boosted public trust and deterred misconduct.

3. Independence is both fragile and vital
   He exemplifies how resisting political pressure can define a public servant’s legacy.

4. Courage to prosecute the powerful
   He took on financial institutions, legislators, and elites — reminding us that no one should be untouchable under the law.

5. Self-doubt and humility strengthen leadership
   His embrace of calibrated doubt shows how leaders can avoid hubris while still acting decisively.

Conclusion

Preet Bharara’s journey—from immigrant child to Harvard, to federal prosecutor, to public figure and commentator—is emblematic of a modern kind of public service: potent, principled, and public-facing. His prosecutorial accomplishments reshaped how white-collar crime, corruption, and organized crime are pursued in New York and beyond. But beyond convictions and headlines, his legacy lies in how he elevated prosecutorial independence, narrative transparency, and moral accountability in public law enforcement.