Buddy Parker
Contact
MKS Law
3rd Floor, Flemming House
2 Fishlock Road
Road Town
Tortola VG1110
British Virgin Islands
“Buddy Parker is a longtime board member, fiery prosecutor and dynamic speaker, who’s energized this audience for decades.”
- Ryan Rasske, American Banker's Association
Wilmer (Buddy) Parker has over 50 years of experience prosecuting and defending high profile criminal cases, for both the United States Department of Justice and as a private defense attorney.
He has special expertise in fraud, money-laundering, and forfeiture matters.
Government Service
Buddy entered government service in 1978 in Washington, D.C., as a trial attorney of the U.S. Department of Justice.
For the next five years, he participated in investigations and prosecutions of frauds in the country, including Boston, New York, Atlanta, Tampa, and Miami, where he worked on the very earliest money laundering prosecution implicating financial institutions.
In 1983 Buddy returned to Atlanta. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, he continued to prosecute RICO, fraud, drugs, and money laundering cases, many national in scope. He has received five national awards for trial advocacy skills.
He was one of the pioneers of U.S. money laundering cases. Through the international aspects of these investigations, Buddy became a recognized expert, making numerous presentations throughout Europe, North America and the Caribbean.
He also served as an instructor and lecturer for numerous training programs for both U.S. and international law enforcement, including training of law enforcement officers from Europe and Canada.
Private Practice
Since 1997, Buddy has primarily represented individuals and corporations in far-reaching criminal investigations and prosecutions throughout the Untied States and internationally. He has also represented individuals in complex civil litigation.
He has represented both public and private corporations, lawyers, accountants, corporate officers, bankers and other professionals in various mail and wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud, healthcare fraud, tax fraud, money laundering, immigration, public corruption, commercial bribery, and forfeiture investigations and prosecutions.
In addition, Buddy has also participated in investigations before the Serious Fraud Office (United Kingdom) and acted as a consultant to European lawyers.
His extensive trial experience and his extensive experience in international investigations has made him one of the most recognized litigators in this highly-specialized field.
“I’ve enjoyed working with Buddy Parker since 2020 on the topics of strategic litigation avoidance and international collaborations.”
– George Church, Professor at Harvard Medical School & MIT
“Buddy has successfully prosecuted for us a civil RICO claim involving extortion by an attorney, recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars lost through fraud, and is currently prosecuting a complex case involving Brazilian fraud. His analytical skills are extraordinary, his expertise excellent.”
- Renee Haugerud, Founder/Chief Investment Officer, Galtere (NYC investment firm)
Expertise
- Criminal Justice Litigation
- Defense – Frauds (Federal & State), White-Collar Offenses
- Civil RICO – Prosecution & Defense
- Forfeiture (Criminal & Civil)
- Commercial Litigation
Practice
- Admitted before U.S. District Courts in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South and North Carolina, Washington D.C., and New York.
- Admitted before the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, Eighth, Eleventh and D.C. circuits.
Awards
- Fellow of the American Bar Association and actively participates in a leadership role in its Criminal Justice Section.
- In recognition of his expertise in the area of money laundering, the Criminal Justice Section appointed Buddy as its representative on the Advisory Board of the American Bankers Association – American Bar Association Anti-Money Laundering Conference for ALM and Fraud Risk professionals.
- In late 2025, The American Bankers Association recognized Buddy’s decades of service and leadership in the financial crimes field with its Distinguished Service Award for Financial Crimes.
- Buddy is peer rated by Martindale Hubbell as AV Preeminent, the highest level of professional excellence.
- Further, he is rated a “Super Lawyer” and “Best Lawyer.”
