(Bloomberg) -- Crypto conglomerate Digital Currency Group has hired Barry Berke, who played an instrumental role in the impeachments of Donald Trump, to defend it against a civil lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Berke, partner and chair of the litigation department at Kramer Levin, served as chief impeachment counsel to the US House of Representatives in the Senate trial of the former President. He has also represented former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in federal and local investigations.

On Oct. 19, James sued several executives, DCG, its bankrupt subsidiary Genesis and Genesis’s partner Gemini Trust Co. — which operates a crypto exchange — for allegedly defrauding customers of $1.1 billion. The lawsuit accused Gemini and Genesis of failing to disclose to investors the risk of a crypto-lending program they started in 2021. DCG said in a statement at the time that it always conducted business “lawfully and with integrity,” and that it will fight the allegations. 

Genesis’s lending business froze withdrawals last year, and filed for bankruptcy in January, following a period of other major bankruptcies, including Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX exchange.

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