Danielle Sassoon is an American attorney who briefly served as the acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York from January 21, 2025, to February 13, 2025. She was appointed by Donald Trump.
Here's a summary of key aspects of her life and career, as detailed in the sources:
- Early Life and Education: Born in 1985 or 1986 in New York, her parents were Salomon Sassoon, a law firm partner, and Evelyn Sassoon, a clinical research psychologist. She attended Harvard University and Yale University. She also clerked for Antonin Scalia from July 2012 to August 2013.
- Career: Sassoon led the prosecution in the 2023 trial of Sam Bankman-Fried as an assistant US attorney. In January 2025, she was appointed as the acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
- Resignation: Sassoon resigned from the Department of Justice in protest after being directed to dismiss charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The direction came from Acting United States Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who claimed that dropping the charges would allow Adams to focus on immigration enforcement. Sassoon stated she would resign if forced to drop charges for political reasons.
- Personal Life: She married Adam Katz, an investment analyst, on November 28, 2015. They met while attending Harvard University.
