Anel Viamontes is an associate at Fridman, Fels & Soto, PLLC.  Her practice focuses on white-collar criminal defense, international and domestic corporate internal investigations, and complex civil litigation, where U.S. and Latin American clients alike are facing criminal and civil exposure.

Since joining the firm, Ms. Viamontes has engaged in several aspects of litigation, including representing:

• An Argentine heiress that fell victim to a massive fraud scheme involving her former investment advisors, three large financial institutions, and a foreign bad actor in three complex civil lawsuits before the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), and the Miami-Dade County Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s Complex Business division.

• An American corporation facing an anti-trust probe brought by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) in connection with an investigation into chicken-industry executives for violations of anti-trust laws.

• An Argentine national facing scrutiny by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (“OFR”) in connection with an alleged Nigerian Forex trading scam.

• A Canadian national charged by the DOJ for money laundering in connection with the investigation of a Swiss multinational company that paid millions in bribes to Latin American government officials.

• An Argentine national that was defrauded of millions of dollars in a real estate fraud scheme targeting foreign investors in Latin America.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Viamontes served as an Assistant State Attorney in Palm Beach County.  During her time as a prosecutor, she handled misdemeanor domestic violence matters ranging from domestic battery to violations of injunctions and pretrial orders.

Ms. Viamontes also interned for Judge Adalberto Jordan in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and for Judge Patrick M. Hunt for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.  During her internships, she researched and prepared memoranda on complex legal questions ranging from state and federal criminal procedure, conflicts of law, social security administration, Title VII, and writs of garnishment.  In addition, she interned at the Department of Homeland Security, where she prepared motions and appeared on behalf of the government in court in asylum and removal proceedings.

Ms. Viamontes graduated in the top fifteen percent of her class from Florida International University College of Law.  She was awarded the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Legal Skills and Values II. She was the founding member of the Stonewall Legal Alliance organization and a Quarterfinalist of the 15th Annual FIU Board of Advocates Intramural Appellate Advocacy Championship, the law school’s moot court competition.