Queens District Attorney Launches New Economic Crimes Bureau

QUEENS, NY — A new crime-fighting team in the Queens district attorney's office will specialize in investigating and prosecuting large-scale financial crimes.

Led by 22-year veteran prosecutor Mary Lowenburg, the newly-created major economic crimes bureau will handle cases of organized operations committing credit card fraud, identity theft, auto theft, insurance fraud, gambling and loan sharking, among other crimes.

The new bureau combines the former organized crime and rackets bureau and the former economic crimes bureau, according to a news release.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz characterized the reorganization as a way to better dismantle violent criminal organizations, which she said are often tied to economic crimes.

Katz has formed several new crime-fighting bureaus since taking office at the start of this year, including one dedicated to housing and worker safety and a conviction integrity unit to review cases that may have resulted in a wrongful conviction.