Profile
Robert L. Kardell (Bob) is an attorney whose practice focuses on cyber-breach incident response, legal and technology-based risk management solutions, technology and cyber-defense policy and protections, intrusion remediation, and fraud prevention and investigation. Bob has more than 22 years of experience working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Special Agent and Supervisory Special Agent, as well as a Program Coordinator for Public Corruption, Complex Financial Crime, Healthcare Fraud, and Domestic Terrorism.
Bob has been a certified computer forensics examiner and a certified accounting forensics investigator. He has testified numerous times as a fact witness in criminal trials and before grand juries, and drafted expert reports for both accounting and computer investigations. In his career, Bob worked on cyber-crime investigations as well as public corruption, white collar, terrorism, and financial criminal and civil investigations.
Bob has been a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and the Heartland ACFE for 16 years. During that time, he has served on the board and as a member of the editorial advisory committee for the ACFE’s “Fraud Magazine”. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a member of the Nebraska Society of CPAs; Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP); GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC); General Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF); Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE); a certified Paraben computer forensics examiner; and formerly an AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE).
Areas of Practice
Education
- University of Nebraska College of Law, Juris Doctor, 1991
- University of Nebraska College of Business, Masters in Business Administration, 1991
- Benedictine College, Bachelor of Arts in Accounting, Distinction, 1987
- Harvard / HarvardX Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age
Bar & Court Admissions
- Nebraska, 1992
Professional & Civic Affiliations
- Omaha Crime Stoppers, Board of Directors
- Nebraska State Bar Association, Technology Sub-Committee
- Nebraska State Board of Public Accountancy
- Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants, Vice Chairman of Legislation Committee
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Fraud- Editorial Advisory Committee (2007—Present)
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Heartland Chapter- Board Member (2007—2010, 2018 – Present)
- High Tech Crime Investigators Association, Nebraska Chapter President (2009—2010)
- Nebraska Infragard (an association of businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement agencies, and the FBI created to help protect the critical national infrastructure)
Selected Practice Highlights
- Representing client in the investigation of cyber breach at a financial organization and notification to affected individuals in all 50 states
- Representing client in the investigation of cyber incident at healthcare facility and recovery
- Representing client in the investigation and response to ransomware attack including ransom payment negations, data recovery, and notification to affected individuals
- Representing client in the successful negotiations of settlement from fraud due to a Business Email Compromise (BEC) incident
- Representing client in the investigation and remediation of cyber-attack due to zero-day vulnerability
- Representing client during the investigation of a fraud investigation
- Representing client in the encryption and subsequent recovery of company data by a former employee
Former Investigative Highlights
- United States v. US Congressman Mel Reynolds
- Indictment of a US Congressman. Investigation resulted in the trial of Reynolds and ultimately a guilty verdict on 15 of 16 counts; his wife also pleaded guilty.
- United States v. Village of Niles Mayor Nicholas Blase
- Indictment of the Mayor for the Village of Niles. Investigation resulted in a guilty plea of Blase.
- United States v. Nicholas Boscarino
- Investigated the extortion of money from the Village of Rosemont, Illinois. Four-week trial and a guilty verdict of all counts; investigation and indictment resulted in guilty pleas from two other defendants for fraud and perjury.
- United States v. Cook County Judge George J.W. Smith
- Indictment of a sitting Cook County Judge. Investigation resulted in the guilty plea of Judge Smith to charges of mail fraud and tax fraud.
Selected Recent Publications
- “Consumer Fraud: Who’s Liable,” Nebraska Banker Magazine 2023-2024 Issue 4, December 2023
- Fourth Annual Report on Cybersecurity in Nebraska
- Data Security and Privacy Law Book Update, Chapter Author (Westlaw)
- The Practice of Cyber Law
- FDIC Compliant Investigations for Cybersecurity (Nebraska Banker)
Recent Speaking Engagements
- “AI in Legal Practice – Practical Applications & Interactive Demonstrations,” Nebraska State Bar Association Annual Meeting, La Vista, NE, October 2024
- Cybersecurity Threats in the Face of War Webinar
- Cybersecurity for Attorneys; All you needed to know and never wanted to know (Creighton Law School)
- Attorney Ethics; Tech Challenges and Responsibilities (NSBA)
- The Current State of the Ransomware Threat Webinar
- The Cybersecurity Threats to Healthcare Webinar
