FBI Director James Comey has recently announced the appointment of a new Special Agent in Charge (SAC) for the Chicago division. Michael J. Anderson, formerly the SAC of the New Orleans division, will now oversee the Chicago region.
Anderson has had a long and successful career with the FBI, starting as a special agent in 1995 in Miami. There he distinguished himself early on after helping to put an end to a cocaine smuggling ring that was responsible for a proliferation of nearly 75 tons of the drug in the region. In the same trial, he also dealt with juror corruption that would have prevented important convictions from taking place and stemming the tide of drugs to Florida and the rest of the U.S.
In 2001, he was picked to fill a supervisory position in the Public corruption Unit of the Criminal Investigation Division. He assisted in countless investigations into judicial, municipal, and congressional corruption. He would move from that position for a time to supervise investigations in Washington, which included cases like the trial of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and of Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson.
He would return to the Public Corruption Unit in 2006 as its chief, distinguishing himself as he investigated fraud cases related to Hurricane Katrina. Government aid for hurricane victims was misappropriated by certain public officials, many of whom were prosecuted thanks to Anderson’s phenomenal efforts.
The native of Alexandria, Minnesota also once held a position as the SAC of New Orleans, overseeing activity for the entire state of Louisiana. His work on the deepwater horizon’s environmental disaster and his investigation of former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, all helped to cement his legacy as an outstanding agent and an example of leadership in the FBI.
The Chicago division represents one of the largest in the U.S., and Anderson will have plenty on his plate as the FBI works to deal with the rash of violent crime that has plagued Chicago for the past few years. However, considering his past, there may be no one better than Anderson to oversee FBI activities in the region.