Gurbir Grewal | |
|---|---|
 Grewal in 2021 | |
| Director of the Division of Enforcement,Securities and Exchange Commission | |
| In office July 26, 2021 – October 11, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Melissa Hodgman (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Sanjay Wadhwa (acting) |
| 61stAttorney General of New Jersey | |
| In office January 16, 2018 – July 16, 2021 | |
| Governor | Phil Murphy |
| Preceded by | Christopher Porrino |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Bruck (acting) |
| Prosecutor ofBergen County | |
| In office January 4, 2016 – January 16, 2018 Acting: January 4, 2016 – January 12, 2017 | |
| Appointed by | Chris Christie |
| Preceded by | John Molinelli |
| Succeeded by | Dennis Calo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gurbir Singh Grewal (1973-06-23)June 23, 1973 (age 52) Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | Georgetown University (BS) College of William & Mary (JD) |
Gurbir Grewal's opening statements before theHouse Financial Services Committee Recorded July 19, 2022 | |
Gurbir Singh Grewal (/ˈɡɜːrbɪərˈɡreɪwɑːl/; born June 23, 1973)[1] is an American attorney andprosecutor who was formerly the Director of the Division of Enforcement for theSecurities and Exchange Commission from July 2021 until his resignation, which became effective in October 2024. In October 2024, Grewal joinedMilbank LLP’s New York office as a partner specializing in SEC enforcement matters.
Prior to his service with the SEC as the Director of Enforcement, Grewal served as the sixty-firstattorney general of the State of New Jersey from January 2018 until July 2021.[2] Appointed byGovernorPhil Murphy, he was confirmed by theNew Jersey Senate on January 16, 2018.[3] He was the firstSikh-American attorney general in United States history.[3] Grewal was formerly the countyprosecutor ofBergen County, New Jersey, originally appointed in 2016; he was also the first Sikh American to be named a county prosecutor in the United States.[4] He was the second South Asian to be a state attorney general after California'sKamala Harris in 2011.
Grewal is the son ofPunjabiSikhIndian immigrants to the United States. He grew up inFairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey and graduated fromWest Essex High School.[5] Grewal attendedBates College for one semester before transferring to theGeorgetown University School of Foreign Service, receiving hisB.S.F.S. degree in 1995.[6] He earned aJuris Doctor fromWilliam & Mary Law School in 1999.[7] He has served as president of the South Asian Bar Association of New York and a member of the New Jersey Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association.[8]
Before becoming Bergen County's toplaw enforcement officer, Gurbir Grewal served as the chief of the Economic Crimes Unit at theU.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey under former federal prosecutorPaul Fishman.[8] New Jersey GovernorChris Christie nominated Grewal to lead the Bergen County Prosecutor's office in 2013, but Grewal was never scheduled for aNew Jersey Senate confirmation hearing then. Grewal was confirmed by the State Senate when tapped by Christie the second time around in January 2016 as acting prosecutor, and was finalized in the role in November 2016.[9] In this capacity, Grewal concentrated on fighting theopioid epidemic[10] andwhite-collar crimes, and strengthening relations between police and communities.[11] In July 2017, while Bergen County prosecutor, Grewal ordered theMahwah, New Jersey police departmentnot to enforce a ban on non-New Jersey residents using Mahwah parks, stating his concern that a ban could lead toanti-Semiticreligious profiling againstOrthodox Jews visiting from neighboringRockland County,New York.[12] On July 26, 2018, twoWKXW radio show hosts were suspended for calling Grewal "turban man" on air.[13] In September 2018, then-Bergen Countysheriff Michael Saudino resigned under public official pressure, after secretly recorded comments were released disparaging Grewal's wearing aturban alongside derogatory remarks about other groups of people.[14]
In March 2019, as New Jersey's attorney general, Grewal touted the first arrests resulting from a law signed in 2018 by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy outlawingprivately made firearms, stating, "When you see repeatedly the same address, with the same individuals, at the same location continuing to order parts for the same types of guns, some red flags have to go up, that what’s going on here is not somebody who’s an enthusiast or a hobbyist, but rather somebody who’s engaged in illegal trafficking. And that is part of the problem with ghost gun manufacturers, that they are playing fast and loose with our rules."[15] Days later, Grewal filed the first of its kind lawsuit against a receiver blank manufacturer, U.S. Patriot Armory, accusing the company of violating New Jersey's privately made firearm ban by ignoring acease-and-desist order to stop selling rifle-assembly kits to New Jersey buyers.[16] Also in March 2019, Grewal filed lawsuits againstExxonMobil,[17]DuPont, and3M, accusing the companies of polluting sites in New Jersey; he stated, "We’re sending a strong message to polluters that no matter how big you are, or how powerful you are, or how long you’ve been getting away with contaminating your state’s natural resources, we are going to hold you accountable in court."[18] On March 28, 2019, Grewal announced a directive to all 21 New Jersey county prosecutors to institute college campus outreach protocols to impedesexual violence at the collegiate level.[19]
In April 2019, Grewal announced updated standards for dealing withbias incidents.[20] Also in April 2019, he called for monitoring of comments on theFacebook page of "Rise Up Ocean County", a group which has been called a home for anti-Semitic sentiment targeting the rapidly growing Orthodox Jewish population ofLakewood and surroundingOcean County, New Jersey.[21] On April 26, 2019, Grewal asked for the resignation of the director of theElizabeth, New Jersey Police Department amid a scandal over racist and sexist slurs and also replaced theUnion County county prosecutor.[22]
On May 1, 2019, Grewal announced the dismantling of anorganized crimegambling andloansharking operation[23] and also launched an investigation into prior corporatetax loopholes afforded at the time by the New Jersey Development Authority.[24] On May 6, 2019, Grewal filed suit against theDepartment of Justice to force disclosure of any evidence of influence-peddling upon the Justice Department's decision to oppose legalized online gambling across the U.S.[25] On May 8, 2019, Grewal indicated that theCity of Newark had exceeded its statutory authority by affording civilianssubpoena powers over the city's police department.[26] On May 10, 2019, Grewal joined state attorneys general from across the country in filing a lawsuit against 20generic pharmaceuticals companies, 11 of which were based in New Jersey, along with several individuals, accusing them ofcollusion andprice-fixing.[27] On May 14, 2019, Grewal announced a lawsuit against several large chemical companies, accusing them of selling toxicfirefightingfoam for decades while knowing the health risks they posed to the public and to the environment.[28]
In June 2019, Grewal's office forced aBloomfield restaurant which had posted a "males only" hiring sign to pay $1,000 and implement an anti-discrimination policy that explains how workers can file complaints, as well as training managers and staff about the anti-discrimination law; Grewal stated thatgender discrimination would not be tolerated in the overall hiring process.[29] In mid-June, Grewal filed a lawsuit against aNevada gun dealer for selling high-capacitygun magazines illegally to anundercover agent in New Jersey, despite a prior cease-and-desist order issued to the company barring the marketing, selling, and shipping of high-capacity gun magazines to New Jersey residents.[30]
On August 6, 2019, Grewal announced the creation of the first U.S. statewide program to support themental health ofpolice officers. The goal of the program would be to train officers in emotional resiliency and to help destigmatize mental health issues.[31] On August 8, Grewal announced the dismantling of two major drug- and gun-trafficking criminal organizations, accompanied by the arrests of 28 individuals and the seizure of significant amounts of narcotics, ammunition, and cash.[32]
In 2021, Grewal abolished mandatory minimums for six non-violent drug offenses, and allowed inmates who were serving mandatory minimum sentences for those crimes to request a court review and a new sentence.[33]
On June 29, 2021, Grewal announced he would be resigning as New Jersey’s attorney general to take an appointment as Director of theU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement.[34] His resignation as attorney general was effective July 16, 2021.[35] His SEC appointment was effective July 26, 2021. Grewal worked to bring thecryptocurrency industry andWall Street traders into compliance, and advocated for attorneys and auditors to protect investor interests.[36] Under Grewal, the SEC imposed over $20 billion in fines and disgorgement in its enforcement actions. In October 2024, Grewal announced that he would be resigning from the SEC to enter private practice, effective October 11, 2024.[37][38]
Gurbir Grewal is a resident ofGlen Rock, New Jersey, in Bergen County.[10] Grewal is a father of three,[39] with his wife Amrit.[40] He is also fluent in thePunjabi andHindi languages.[39]
Gurbir S. Grewal became the 61st Attorney General of the State of New Jersey following the inauguration of Governor Phil Murphy today, January 16, 2018. He was confirmed unanimously by the New Jersey Senate this afternoon. 'I am honored and humbled to assume the role of Attorney General at this critical time for our state and country. I am grateful to Governor Murphy and the Senate for the trust they have placed in me and I look forward to continuing my service to the state of New Jersey. There's much to do, and I can't wait to get started,' said Attorney General Grewal. Prior to his selection as New Jersey Attorney General, Grewal served as Bergen County Prosecutor, the chief law enforcement officer of the most populous county in New Jersey and home to nearly 1 million residents living in 70 municipalities.
When you see repeatedly the same address, with the same individuals, at the same location continuing to order parts and parts and parts and parts for the same types of guns, some red flags have to go up, that what's going on here is not somebody who's an enthusiast or a hobbyist, but rather somebody who's engaged in illegal trafficking. And that is part of the problem with ghost gun manufacturers, that they are playing fast and loose with our rules.
It's part of our effort to hold polluters accountable in New Jersey — large polluters, small polluters.
"Save for a relatively few circumstances in which gender is a bona fide occupational qualification for a job, employers have a duty to extend equal opportunity in the recruiting process, the job application process, and the hiring process," Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement.
'We cannot fully comprehend the emotional and mental stress that our law enforcement officers suffer on a daily basis,' said Grewal during a press conference at the Newark Police Department to announce the New Jersey Resiliency Program for Law Enforcement. 'We owe it to them to not only combat the stigma associated with seeking help, but also give to them the tools they need to deal with the stress and trauma they endure.' The program is the first of its kind in the country, according to the Attorney General's office.
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Attorney General of New Jersey 2018–2021 | Succeeded by Andrew Bruck Acting |
