M. Rhett DeHart is a member of the Firm’s White Collar and Government Investigations Team and Healthcare Sector. Before joining Womble, Rhett was the Acting United States Attorney in South Carolina, capping a 20-year career as a Federal Prosecutor. He focuses on representing companies and individuals in criminal and civil actions involving bank fraud, healthcare fraud, the False Claims Act, customs and import fraud, securities fraud, environmental crimes, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and internal investigations. As Acting U.S. Attorney, Rhett was the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer in a state with 5.2 million people and led a team of 165 professionals with offices in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Florence.
During his tenure as Acting U.S. Attorney, Rhett successfully oversaw numerous high-profile criminal and civil cases, including an $11 billion securities fraud case involving the state’s largest utility company, a $140 million False Claims Act suit involving health care providers, and a $30 million investment fraud involving a coastal real estate development. As Acting U.S. Attorney and First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Rhett led a state task force to prosecute fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Rhett is an experienced and respected litigator, having handled hundreds of federal cases. He has tried more than 25 cases to verdict, authored more than 35 appellate briefs, and argued eight cases before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Throughout his career, he has focused on white-collar cases. Rhett worked closely with every major federal and state law enforcement agency, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Customs Service (ICE), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Rhett’s experience with the Justice Department and federal and state law enforcement agencies provides his clients – whether companies or individuals – with unique advantages in defending criminal, civil, and administrative actions.
