Former Utah federal prosecutor David Schwendiman has been nominated to become the new chief prosecutor for European Union's effort to investigate people involved in war crimes and illicit organ trafficking in Kosovo.
Schwendiman was nominated as lead prosecutor for the Special Investigative Task Force, which was set up in 2011 to conduct independent criminal investigations into allegations of "inhumane treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo," according to its Web site. It is based in Brussels.
Schwendiman grew up in Utah and maintains a home in Park City. He is a 1976 graduate of the University of Utah College of Law, where he also has been an adjunct professor since 1994.
Schwendiman served in the U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah as a prosecutor, first assistant and interim U.S. attorney. He also was twice an assistant Utah attorney general.
From 2006 to 2009 he was an international prosecutor in the Special Department of War Crimes for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Schwendiman retired from the Department of Justice in 2014 after having assignments as a representative to three Olympic games and stints in Bahrain, Vietnam, Thailand and Bangladesh.
Since February, Schwendiman has been based in Kabul, Afghanistan, as director of forward operations for the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. Prior to that assignment, he was Justice Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan.
tharvey@sltrib.com
| Courtesy Photo David Schwendiman