September 21, 2015

Michael J. Anderson Named Special Agent in Charge of Chicago Division

Director James B. Comey has named Michael J. Anderson special agent in charge (SAC) of the FBI’s Chicago Division. Mr. Anderson most recently served as SAC of the New Orleans Division since 2012.

Mr. Anderson began his career as a special agent with the FBI in July 1995. He first reported to the Miami Division, where he investigated public corruption, including a juror bribery case involving a continuing criminal enterprise that imported more than 75 tons of cocaine into the Miami metropolitan area.

In 2001, he was promoted to a supervisory special agent position in the Public Corruption Unit of the Criminal Investigation Division, where he served as the FBIHQ liaison to numerous investigations, involving judicial, law enforcement, contract, regulatory, municipal, and congressional corruption.

Later that year, Mr. Anderson reported to the Washington Field Office to supervise investigations into public corruption, government fraud, and civil rights. During his tenure, he supervised the investigation of super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson.

In 2006, Mr. Anderson returned to the Public Corruption Unit at FBIHQ as its chief. In this role, he oversaw the Hurricane Fraud Initiative to address Katrina-related public corruption and government fraud, and he launched the International Contract Corruption Initiative (ICCI) targeting Iraq reconstruction-related fraud and corruption. The ICCI eventually evolved into a permanent unit in the Criminal Investigative Division.

In 2007, Mr. Anderson reported to the Dallas Division as an assistant special agent in charge overseeing intelligence, public corruption, white-collar crime, civil rights, covert operations, and the foreign language program.

Mr. Anderson returned to FBI Headquarters in January 2011 as the chief of the Employee Services Section in the Human Resources Division. Among other duties, he oversaw the FBI’s performance appraisal and management system, awards, payroll and benefits, retirements, the on-boarding new employees program, and the Human Resources Division service center.

In July 2012, Mr. Anderson reported to the New Orleans Division, where he oversaw all FBI operations for the state of Louisiana. Notable successful investigations involved the Deepwater Horizon environmental disaster; former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin; and the Harvey Hustlers, a notorious neighborhood-based violent gang.

Before joining the FBI, Mr. Anderson received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Iowa and was employed by KPMG. He also received a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern University in Los Angeles. He is a certified public accountant and attorney.

Mr. Anderson is a native of Alexandria, Minnesota and is married with one daughter.

Mr. Anderson reports to Chicago in mid-October.