Robert L. Kardell (Bob) is an attorney whose practice focuses on cyber-breach incident response, legal and technology-based risk management solutions, technology and cyber-defense policy and protections, intrusion remediation, and fraud prevention and investigation. Bob has more than 22 years of experience working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Special Agent and Supervisory Special Agent, as well as a Program Coordinator for Public Corruption, Complex Financial Crime, Healthcare Fraud, and Domestic Terrorism.
In his career, Bob has also worked on cyber-crime investigations as well as public corruption, white collar, and financial criminal and civil investigations. Bob has been both a certified computer forensics examiner and an accounting forensics investigator. He has testified numerous times as a fact witness in criminal trials and before grand juries, and drafted expert reports for both accounting and computer investigations.
Bob has been a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and the Heartland ACFE for 12 years. During that time, he has served as a Director for the local board and as a member of the editorial advisory committee for the ACFE’s “Fraud Magazine”. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a member of the Nebraska Society of CPAs; Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP); Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF); Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE); and AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE).
Areas of Practice
Education
- University of Nebraska College of Law, Juris Doctor, 1991
- University of Nebraska College of Business, Masters in Business Administration, 1991
- Benedictine College, Bachelor of Arts in Accounting, Distinction, 1987
- Harvard / HarvardX Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age
Professional & Civic Affiliations
- Nebraska State Bar Association
- Nebraska State Board of Public Accountancy
- Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Fraud- Editorial Advisory Committee (2007—Present)
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Heartland Chapter- Board Member (2007—2010)
- High Tech Crime Investigators Association, Nebraska Chapter President (2009—2010)
- Nebraska Infragard (an association of businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement agencies, and the FBI created to help protect the critical national infrastructure)
Bar & Court Admissions
- Nebraska, 1992
Selected Practice Highlights
- United States v. US Congressman Mel Reynolds
- Indictment of a US Congressman. Investigation resulted in the trial of Reynolds and ultimately a guilty verdict on 15 of 16 counts, his wife also pleaded guilty.
- United States v. Village of Niles Mayor Nicholas Blase
- Indictment of the Mayor for the Village of Niles. Investigation resulted in a guilty plea of Blase.
- United States v. Nicholas Boscarino
- Investigated the extortion of money from the Village of Rosemont, Illinois. Four-week trial and a guilty verdict of all counts; investigation and indictment resulted in guilty pleas from two other defendants for fraud andperjury.
- United States v. Cook County Judge George J.W. Smith
- Indictment of a sitting Cook County Judge. Investigation resulted in the guilty plea of Judge Smith to charges of mail fraud and tax fraud.