Ray Mateo
Prior Experience

Ray returns to CK after serving nearly six years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. Ray served as Chair of the Office’s Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Task Force, leading federal criminal prosecutions, from investigation to jury trial, of healthcare and other matters involving Medicaid and Medicare fraud, anti-kickback schemes, bank fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, tax evasion, money laundering, and distribution of controlled substances. Ray partnered with and managed teams from the FBI, DEA, HHS-OIG, FDA, IRS, DHS and other federal agencies.

Previously, Ray was Counsel with CK, representing clients in criminal and regulatory enforcement actions by the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Offices, New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, county prosecutor’s offices, and state professional licensing boards.

Ray also served for four years as Deputy Attorney General with the Division of Criminal Justice of the New Jersey Office of Attorney General, pursuing investigations and leading prosecutions of the Division’s most complicated and high-profile criminal matters.

Ray served as a judicial law clerk for Judge Ronald D. Wigler and Judge Hector E. Desoto, both of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Criminal Division, Essex County.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
  • Representing targets, subjects, and witnesses in criminal and regulatory investigations and prosecutions before the United States Attorney’s Offices, New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, county prosecutor’s offices.
  • Defending corporate and individual clients in federal and state criminal matters.
  • Representing clients in civil litigation including shareholder/partnership disputes and dissolutions.
  • Successfully tried to verdict first-degree narcotics and weapons cases.
  • Defended healthcare professionals before state professional licensing boards.
  • Conducting sensitive internal investigations for private and government entities.
LEADERSHIP & RECOGNITION

Ray is a dedicated member of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey, serving as a Trustee to its Board for the 2024-2025 term. In addition, he is a Trustee and former President (New York Region) of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, providing mentorship and leadership development to Latino students and young professionals. He also serves as a Board Member of the Harpur Law Council, which counsels and supports Binghamton University students pursuing legal careers, and as a Mentor for New Jersey’s Law and Education Empowerment Project (NJ LEEP), which partners with first-generation and low-income students to build skills and offer experiences to foster their college and career ambitions.

Ray serves as an Adjunct Professor for Trial Presentation for his alma matter, Rutgers Law School, coordinating the mock trial program and offering students the opportunity to learn from state and federal judges.

Ray was appointed to the Council of Urban Professionals in its 2018 Fellowship Program. He has been honored as a 2015 Rising Star 40 under 40 in New York State by the Hispanic Coalition.