Matthew G. Whitaker
Matthew G. Whitaker is managing partner of Whitaker Hagenow & Gustoff LLP, a law firm located in Des Moines, Iowa. Whitaker represents individuals and businesses before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Mr. Whitaker areas of concentration include criminal defense and government investigations, immigration, fraud, False Claims Act, corporate and transactional, internal corporate investigations, and commercial litigation.
Whitaker served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa from 2004 to 2009 where he obtained invaluable insight and experience regarding the enforcement of federal crimes including mail and wire fraud, public corruption, child pornography, firearms violations, drug trafficking, corporate fraud, and terrorism financing.
In addition, Whitaker was responsible for defending civil lawsuits brought against the United States, handling federal forfeiture actions, and collecting debts and restitution. Whitaker managed a staff of 60 with headquarters in Des Moines and two branch offices (Davenport and Council Bluffs).
While US Attorney, Whitaker served on the Controlled Substances and Asset Forfeiture Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, a group of 30 United States Attorneys across the country focusing on the Department of Justice’s efforts against drug trafficking. Additionally, he was a member of the Violent and Organized Crime Subcommittee and the White Collar Crime Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee.
Following graduation from the University of Iowa in 1995, Whitaker moved to the Twin Cities and worked for the law firm of Briggs & Morgan. In 1998, Whitaker joined SUPERVALU, a Fortune 500 grocery company, as corporate counsel. In 2001, Whitaker and his family moved back to Iowa and he joined the law firm of Finely Alt Smith where he remained until his appointment as United States Attorney. In 2002, Whitaker ran for State Treasurer of Iowa.
Whitaker received his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in 1991. In 1995, he graduated with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in addition to earning his Master of Business Administration. While at the University of Iowa, Whitaker was a tight end on the 1990 Big Ten Champion football team and played in the 1991 Rose Bowl game versus Washington and the 1991 Holiday Bowl versus BYU. During his time as a student-athlete, Whitaker earned academic All-Big Ten honors in 1990, 1991, and 1992 and academic All-American honors in 1992. Whitaker also received the prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1992. The Big Ten’s oldest award, the Medal of Honor, first awarded in 1914, is given annually to a student in the graduating class of each university that demonstrated proficiency in scholarship and athletics. In 2009, Whitaker was selected for induction into the Iowa High School Football Hall of Fame.
Whitaker is a small business owner and serves on several for profit and not for profit boards of directors. He is also a member of the University of Iowa Political Science Department Advisory Board and a member of the National Association of Former United States Attorneys. Whitaker lives in the Des Moines area with his family.
EDUCATION
B.A., University of Iowa, 1991
M.B.A., University of Iowa, 1995
J.D., University of Iowa, 1995
Admitted to practice in Minnesota, 1995
Admitted to Practice in Iowa, 2002
U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, 2003
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 2004
REPORTED CASES
United States v. Weaver, 287 Fed.Appx. 547 (8th Cir. 2008)
United States v. Gill, 513 F. 3d 836 (8th Cir. 2008)
United States v. Kraklio, 451 F. 3d 922 (8th Cir. 2006)
United States v. Alexander, 408 F. 3d 1003 (8th Cir. 2005)
United States v. Meza-Gonzalez, 394 F. 3d 587 (8th Cir. 2005)
United States v. Likens, 487 F.Supp. 1046 (S.D. Iowa 2007)
Contact
Matthew G. Whitaker
Direct Dial (515) 868-0210
Fax (515) 864-0035
mwhitaker@whgllp.com
Whitaker Hagenow & Gustoff LLP
400 East Court Avenue Suite 346
Des Moines, IA 50309
