Sept. 22--The new boss of the Chicago FBI has not only investigated his fair share of public corruption but also has literally written the agency's book on it.
In 2003, while supervising investigations into public corruption and government fraud for the Washington field office, Michael Anderson rewrote the bureau's Public Corruption Field Guide, the operations manual for running a corruption probe. In his climb up the ranks, the 20-year FBI veteran has led investigations into super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and government fraud surrounding that city's reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina.
Anderson, 48, will take over as special agent in charge of the Chicago FBI in mid-October after serving three years as the head of the bureau's New Orleans division, according to the FBI. He succeeds Robert Holley, who retired last month after less than two years in the post.
A native of Alexandria, Minn., Anderson began his FBI career in 1995 in Miami, where he got his first taste of public corruption in the form of a bribery case involving the importing of 75 tons of cocaine into south Florida, according to the FBI. In 2001, he went to Washington, where he helped supervise numerous investigations involving into public corruption, government fraud and civil rights.
By 2006, Anderson was the chief of the Public Corruption Unit at FBI headquarters, where he launched an initiative targeting Iraq reconstruction-related fraud and corruption, the FBI said. He later served as an assistant special agent in charge in the FBI's Dallas division.
Anderson received his bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Iowa and his law degree from Southwestern University in Los Angeles. He is a certified public accountant and attorney, according to the FBI.
In Chicago, Anderson will oversee about 850 agents, analysts and support staff.
jmeisner@tribpub.com
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