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WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Lanny Breuer, the head of theJustice Department's criminal division, plans to step down onMarch 1, according to an internal memo.
"As I wrote to the President, and want to tell you, servingas the head of this remarkable Division has been the greatestprivilege of my professional life," Breuer said in a memo tocriminal division employees dated Tuesday.
Breuer, who previously worked as a defense lawyer and in theClinton White House, has led the division since 2009.
He faced much criticism for the department's failure tobring major prosecutions against companies and individuals whoplayed a role in the 2007-2009 financial crisis, but also ledthe division in several record-breaking settlements.
BP Plc agreed in November to pay $4 billion incriminal fines and penalties, the largest in history, on chargesrelated to the 2010 Gulf oil spill.
The London-based bank HSBC Holdings plc also agreedto the largest forfeiture ever in December - $1.25 billion - toresolve charges that it failed to maintain an effectiveanti-money laundering program and let itself be used by majorMexican drug cartels.
