Craig Crosby Donsanto
July 5, 1944 ~ March 26, 2023
Craig Crosby Donsanto, after a cancer illness at Fairfax County Hospital on March 26, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. Craig was the son of Leonard and Pauline Donsanto, born in Milton, Massachusetts, on July 5, 1944. Craig is survived by his wife, Michelle Ricciardelli Donsanto, and his brother, Paul. Craig was preceded in death by his first wife, Sheila, and by his son, Glenn Allen Donsanto.
Funeral services will be held at MONEY AND KING FUNERAL HOME, 171 W. Maple Ave., Vienna, VA on Wednesday, April 5, at 2:00 p.m.
Craig was a graduate of Huntington Boys School and Boston University (B.A.; J.D.). In March 1970, Craig joined the Department of Justice as part of the Fraud Section of the Criminal Division, where he focused on prosecuting banking and land promotion frauds. He moved to the newly created Watergate Unit in 1972, where he worked on the original Watergate break-in investigation, the financial investigation described in the movie "All the President's Men," and the Vesco-Stans-Mitchell corruption investigation. In 1976, in the wake of the Watergate scandal, Congress created the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division, to consolidate the Department's oversight responsibilities for the prosecution of criminal abuses of the public trust by government officials. Craig joined the new Section as one of our founding members. He spent the next four years as a PIN Trial Attorney specializing in election and campaign finance matters. When the Election Crimes Branch was created in 1980, he became its first Director. He spent the next 30 years in the role until he retired from the Department in 2010. As ECB Director, Craig authored the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses Manual, which continues to guide the Department in handling election-related crimes. He also provided wise guidance and direction to thousands of individual prosecutors and agents across the country and the world as the Department's foremost expert in election-related crimes. He further helped create a culture that has allowed the Department and the Section to successfully navigate the many storms that come in the election crimes space.
Funeral services will be held at MONEY AND KING FUNERAL HOME, 171 W. Maple Ave., Vienna, VA on Wednesday, April 5, at 2:00 p.m.
Craig was a graduate of Huntington Boys School and Boston University (B.A.; J.D.). In March 1970, Craig joined the Department of Justice as part of the Fraud Section of the Criminal Division, where he focused on prosecuting banking and land promotion frauds. He moved to the newly created Watergate Unit in 1972, where he worked on the original Watergate break-in investigation, the financial investigation described in the movie "All the President's Men," and the Vesco-Stans-Mitchell corruption investigation. In 1976, in the wake of the Watergate scandal, Congress created the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division, to consolidate the Department's oversight responsibilities for the prosecution of criminal abuses of the public trust by government officials. Craig joined the new Section as one of our founding members. He spent the next four years as a PIN Trial Attorney specializing in election and campaign finance matters. When the Election Crimes Branch was created in 1980, he became its first Director. He spent the next 30 years in the role until he retired from the Department in 2010. As ECB Director, Craig authored the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses Manual, which continues to guide the Department in handling election-related crimes. He also provided wise guidance and direction to thousands of individual prosecutors and agents across the country and the world as the Department's foremost expert in election-related crimes. He further helped create a culture that has allowed the Department and the Section to successfully navigate the many storms that come in the election crimes space.
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Dearest Michele,
I remember fondly our times at Foxfield Races in Charlottesville. Craig’s mother & I smoked cigars together!
You & Craig & David & I had great meals & conversations together over the years…especially at RJ’s.
May Craig rest in peace & may you find peace & comfort as time goes by.
Many Hugs & Much Love,
Jann