# Sam Currin

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{{short description|American judge}}
{{about|the American judge|his son|S. Thomas Currin II}}
{{Infobox judge
| name = Sam Currin
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption =
| office = Chair of the [North Carolina Republican Party](/source/North_Carolina_Republican_Party)
| term_start = 1996
| term_end = 1999
| predecessor =
| successor = [Bill Cobey](/source/Bill_Cobey)
| office2     = [North Carolina Superior Court](/source/North_Carolina_Superior_Court) Judge
 | term_start2 = 1987
 | term_end2   = 1990
 | nominator2  =
 | appointer2  = [James G. Martin](/source/James_G._Martin)
 | predecessor2 = 
 | successor2  =
| office3 = [United States Attorney](/source/United_States_Attorney) for the [Eastern District of North Carolina](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_Eastern_District_of_North_Carolina)
| term_start3 = 1981
| term_end3 = 1987
| president3 = [Ronald Reagan](/source/Ronald_Reagan)
| predecessor3 = James L. Blackburn
| successor3 = [Douglas McCullough](/source/Douglas_McCullough)
| birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name -->
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = 
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| death_place = 
| education = [Wake Forest University](/source/Wake_Forest_University)<br />[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/source/University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill)<br/>[Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary](/source/Southeastern_Baptist_Theological_Seminary)
| spouse = [Margaret Person](/source/Margaret_Currin)
| children = [S. Thomas Currin II](/source/S._Thomas_Currin_II)
| party = [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))
| occupation = lawyer<br/>politician<br/>minister
}}
'''Samuel Thomas Currin Sr.''' is an American  Baptist minister, retired judge, and former lawyer. He served as [United States Attorney](/source/United_States_Attorney) for the [Eastern District of North Carolina](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_Eastern_District_of_North_Carolina) from 1981 to 1987 and as a [North Carolina Superior Court](/source/North_Carolina_Superior_Court) Judge from 1987 to 1990. He also served as the Chair of the [North Carolina Republican Party](/source/North_Carolina_Republican_Party) and as Judge Advocate in Chief for the [Sons of Confederate Veterans](/source/Sons_of_Confederate_Veterans). Currin was imprisoned in 2007 for money laundering and obstruction of justice. He was released in 2009 after providing a testimony against one of his co-conspirators.

== Education ==
Currin graduated with honors from [Wake Forest University](/source/Wake_Forest_University), earned a [juris doctor](/source/juris_doctor) from the [University of North Carolina School of Law](/source/University_of_North_Carolina_School_of_Law), and earned a master's degree in Ethics, Theology and Culture and a doctorate in Christian Education from [Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary](/source/Southeastern_Baptist_Theological_Seminary).<ref name= carolina>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= |title= Sam Currin|url= https://www.carolinajournal.com/people/sam-currin/|website= [Carolina Journal](/source/Carolina_Journal)|location= |publisher= [John Locke Foundation](/source/John_Locke_Foundation)|access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref><ref name= holden>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= February 12, 2023|title= Guest Ministers Dr. Sam Currin - Baptist|url= http://www.holdenbeachchapel.org/Blog/Guest-Ministers/Guest-Ministers/Dr-Sam-Currin--Baptist/?link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0|website= Holden Beach Chapel|location= [Holden Beach, North Carolina](/source/Holden_Beach%2C_North_Carolina)|publisher= |access-date=}}</ref>

== Career ==
=== Law and politics ===
Currin began his career working as a federal prosecutor in [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina) before being hired as a legislative worker by Senator [Jesse Helms](/source/Jesse_Helms).<ref name= states/>

Upon Helms's recommendation, Currin was appointed the [United States Attorney](/source/United_States_Attorney) for the [United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_Eastern_District_of_North_Carolina) by President [Ronald Reagan](/source/Ronald_Reagan) in 1981 and served in that capacity until 1987.<ref name= wral>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= September 4, 2007|title= Ex-Judge Sent to Prison for Money Laundering|url= https://www.wral.com/story/1776709/|website= [WRAL-TV](/source/WRAL-TV)|location= [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina)|publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref><ref name= states/> As a U.S. attorney, Currin oversaw the prosecution of the perpetrators of [Colcor](/source/Colcor), a corruption case involving government officials in [Columbus County](/source/Columbus_County%2C_North_Carolina).<ref name= states/> In 1986, he prosecuted members of the [White Patriot Party](/source/White_Patriot_Party), a [neo-Nazi](/source/Neo-Nazism) paramilitary group.<ref name= indyweek/> He also prosecuted dozens of drug conspiracy cases in [Brunswick County](/source/Brunswick_County%2C_North_Carolina).<ref name= holden/>

Helms recommended Currin for a federal judgeship, but withdrew the recommendation after Raleigh lawyers opposed the nomination.<ref name= states/> In 1987, Governor [James G. Martin](/source/James_G._Martin) appointed him to the [North Carolina Superior Court](/source/North_Carolina_Superior_Court).<ref name= wral/><ref name= states/> He served on the court until 1990.<ref name= states/>

He was elected as chairman of the [North Carolina Republican Party](/source/North_Carolina_Republican_Party) in 1996 and served until 1999.<ref name= indyweek>{{cite web |last= Elliston|first= Jon|date= August 18, 2004|title= Sam Currin caught in the crossfire|url= https://indyweek.com/news/archives-news/sam-currin-caught-crossfire/|website= [Indy Week](/source/Indy_Week)|location= [Durham, North Carolina](/source/Durham%2C_North_Carolina)|publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> He was a member of the [Electoral College of the United States](/source/Electoral_College_of_the_United_States), representing [North Carolina](/source/2000_United_States_presidential_election_in_North_Carolina) during the [2000 United States presidential election](/source/2000_United_States_presidential_election), where he voted for [George W. Bush](/source/George_W._Bush) and [Dick Cheney](/source/Dick_Cheney).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://presidentelect.org/e2000.html |title = President Elect - 2000  |access-date=2009-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212174238/http://presidentelect.org/e2000.html |archive-date=2012-02-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Following his term on the court, Currin worked in private practice.<ref name= wral/> The waiting room of his law office in downtown Raleigh was reportedly decorated with paintings of General [Robert E. Lee](/source/Robert_E._Lee) and other famous [Confederates](/source/Confederate_States_of_America) and supplied issues of ''[Southern Partisan](/source/Southern_Partisan)'' and ''[Confederate Veteran](/source/Confederate_Veteran)'' magazines to clients.<ref name= indyweek/> During this time, he served pro bono as legal chief for the North Carolina Division of the [Sons of Confederate Veterans](/source/Sons_of_Confederate_Veterans) (SCV) .<ref name= states/><ref name= southern>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= August 11, 2006|title= Top SCV Attorney Indicted in International Tax Scheme|url= https://www.splcenter.org/resources/reports/top-scv-attorney-indicted-international-tax-scheme/|website= [Southern Poverty Law Center](/source/Southern_Poverty_Law_Center)|location= [Montgomery, Alabama](/source/Montgomery%2C_Alabama)|publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> According to a report by the [Southern Poverty Law Center](/source/Southern_Poverty_Law_Center), he fought against anti-racism efforts within the organization.<ref name= southern/> He ratified the expulsion of three hundred SCV members and barred entry to Walt Hilderman III, a leading member who planned to run for the SCV's Commander in Chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans on an anti-racist platform, from the SCV's annual convention in July 2004.<ref name= southern/><ref name= indyweek/> Denne Sweeney, who was elected SCV Commander in Chief, appointed Currin as Judge Advocate in Chief, the highest legal post in the SCV.<ref name= southern/><ref name= indyweek/> He resigned from the position upon being indicted in 2006.<ref name= southern/>

==== Arrest and imprisonment ====
Currin was indicted in 2006 following a three-year-long undercover investigation.<ref name= southern/> In November 2006, Currin pled guilty to charges of money laundering and obstruction of justice.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= December 11, 2006|title= Former U.S. Attorney Pleads Guilty To Money Laundering|url= https://www.wral.com/story/1088268/|website= [WRAL-TV](/source/WRAL-TV)|location= [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina)|publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= November 2, 2006|title= Ex-U.S. attorney pleads guilty in tax fraud case|url= https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15535775|website= [NBC News](/source/NBC_News)|location= |publisher= |access-date=}}</ref> He admitted to lying and failing to surrender documents to a grand jury, failing to report $6,000 in income to the [Internal Revenue Service](/source/Internal_Revenue_Service), and to laundering around $1.4 million in a securities fraud scheme run by a [spam email](/source/Email_spam) company.<ref name= wral/><ref name= states>{{cite web |last= Fitzsimon|first= Chris|date= December 23, 2021|title= The rise and fall of Sam Currin|url= https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/rise-and-fall-sam-currin|website= News from the States|location= |publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> According to prosecutors, Currin profited over $240,000 for his involvement in the scheme, which used spam emails, unsolicited faxes, internet search optimization, and voice mail broadcasting to manipulate the stock prices of multiple publicly traded companies.<ref name= wral/> In September 2007, he was sentenced to almost six years in prison.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= September 5, 2007|title= Former judge, prosecutor gets almost 6 years on fraud charges|url= https://www.law.com/article/almID/1202552161778/?slreturn=20260424164726|website= [The American Lawyer](/source/The_American_Lawyer)|location= [New York, New York](/source/New_York%2C_New_York)|publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> After Currin testified against one of his co-conspirators, federal prosecutors recommended a reduced sentence.<ref name= abc11>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= July 14, 2009|title= Former GOP chair to leave prison|url= https://abc11.com/archive/6913682/|website= [WTVD](/source/WTVD)|location= [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina)|publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> In 2009, a judge issued a release order for Currin.<ref name= abc11/>

=== Ministry and political advocacy ===
Currin is an ordained [Southern Baptist](/source/Southern_Baptist) minister and an advocate for [K-12](/source/K-12) Christian education.<ref name= carolina/> In 1974, he attended one of [Billy Graham's crusades](/source/List_of_Billy_Graham's_crusades) at [Carter–Finley Stadium](/source/Carter%E2%80%93Finley_Stadium).<ref name= carolina2/> In the 1980s and 1990s, he served on the board of directors of the [Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty](/source/Baptist_Joint_Committee_for_Religious_Liberty) and played an important role in the [Southern Baptist Convention](/source/Southern_Baptist_Convention)'s decision to defund it's public affairs agency in 1990.<ref name= baptist>{{cite web |last= Marus|first= Robert |date= May 2, 2006|title= Sam Currin indicted in tax fraud case|url= https://baptiststandard.com/archives/2006-archives/sam-currin-indicted-fin-tax-fraud-case/|website= [Baptist Standard](/source/Baptist_Standard)|location= |publisher= [Baptist General Convention of Texas](/source/Baptist_General_Convention_of_Texas)|access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> He served on the board of directors of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina until his resignation in April 2006.<ref name= baptist/>

In 1987, he lobbied for the Southern Baptist Convention to endorse [Robert Bork](/source/Robert_Bork) following his 1897 nomination to the [United States Supreme Court](/source/United_States_Supreme_Court).<ref name= baptist/>

In 2023, he served as a guest minister at Holden Beach Chapel in [Holden Beach, North Carolina](/source/Holden_Beach%2C_North_Carolina).<ref name= holden/>

He has written [op-ed](/source/op-ed)s for the ''[Carolina Journal](/source/Carolina_Journal)'' about [Billy Graham](/source/Billy_Graham) and promoting [Christian](/source/Christian_school) and [private education](/source/Private_schools_in_the_United_States) and [freedom of religion](/source/freedom_of_religion).<ref name= carolina/><ref name= carolina3>{{cite web |last= Currin|first= Sam|date= November 9, 2023|title= Should your church start a school?|url= https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/should-your-church-start-a-school/|website= [Carolina Journal](/source/Carolina_Journal)|location= |publisher= [John Locke Foundation](/source/John_Locke_Foundation)|access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref><ref name= carolina4>{{cite web |last= Currin|first= Sam|date= July 4, 2023 |title= A good week for God and country|url= https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/a-good-week-for-god-and-country/|website= [Carolina Journal](/source/Carolina_Journal)|location= |publisher= [John Locke Foundation](/source/John_Locke_Foundation)|access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> Currin also wrote for ''[North State Journal](/source/North_State_Journal)'', criticizing the administrations of Presidents [George H. W. Bush](/source/George_H._W._Bush), [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton), [George W. Bush](/source/George_W._Bush), [Barack Obama](/source/Barack_Obama), and [Joe Biden](/source/Joe_Biden) and praising the efforts of President [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump).<ref>{{cite web |last= Currin |first= Sam|date= September 5, 2025|title= CURRIN: Can the president rescue Washington?|url= https://nsjonline.com/article/2025/09/currin-can-the-president-rescue-washington/|website= [North State Journal](/source/North_State_Journal)|location= [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina)|publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> He also criticized the [Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign](/source/Kamala_Harris_2024_presidential_campaign) for supporting abortion rights.<ref>{{cite web |last= Currin |first= Sam|date= November 22, 2024|title= CURRIN: Voters rejected Kamala Harris' radical abortion agenda |url= https://nsjonline.com/article/2024/11/currin-voters-rejected-kamala-harris-radical-abortion-agenda/|website= [North State Journal](/source/North_State_Journal)|location= [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina)|publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> In 2025, he condemned the [assassination](/source/Assassination_of_Charlie_Kirk) of [Charlie Kirk](/source/Charlie_Kirk) and referred to Kirk as a "Christian martyr".<ref>{{cite web |last= Currin|first= Sam|date= September 26, 2025|title= CURRIN: Charlie Kirk: American patriot and Christian martyr|url= https://nsjonline.com/article/2025/09/currin-charlie-kirk-american-patriot-and-christian-martyr/|website= [North State Journal](/source/North_State_Journal)|location= [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina)|publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref>

Currin donated to the NC Heritage PAC, a conservative [political action committee](/source/political_action_committee), in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last= Barber|first= Rebekah|date= February 3, 2020|title= North Carolina Officials Aren't Rushing to Return Pro-Confederate PAC Donations|url= https://truthout.org/articles/north-carolina-officials-arent-rushing-to-return-pro-confederate-pac-donations/|website= Truth Out|location= |publisher= |access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref>

In 2023, he claimed that the United States had an "aggressive secular culture" that was "attempting to force ideological conformity on people of faith" and accused [LGBTQ](/source/LGBTQ) activists and "[leftist](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) politicians" of seeking political revenge against the Supreme Court for its rulings in ''[Groff v. DeJoy](/source/Groff_v._DeJoy)'' and ''[303 Creative LLC v. Elenis](/source/303_Creative_LLC_v._Elenis)''.<ref name= carolina4/>

== Personal life ==
Currin is married to [Margaret P. Currin](/source/Margaret_P._Currin), who also served as a United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.<ref name= states/><ref name= carolina2>{{cite web |last= Currin|first= Sam|date= May 30, 2024|title= The remarkable legacy of Billy Graham|url= https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/the-remarkable-legacy-of-billy-graham/|website= [Carolina Journal](/source/Carolina_Journal)|location= |publisher= [John Locke Foundation](/source/John_Locke_Foundation)|access-date= April 24, 2026}}</ref> Their son, [S. Thomas Currin II](/source/S._Thomas_Currin_II), is a superior court judge.

He is a member of [Hayes Barton Baptist Church](/source/Hayes_Barton_Baptist_Church) in Raleigh.<ref name= holden/>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Currin, Sam}}
Category:Living people
Category:20th-century American lawyers
Category:20th-century North Carolina state court judges
Category:21st-century Baptist ministers from the United States
Category:American opinion journalists
Category:American people convicted of money laundering
Category:Baptists from North Carolina
Sam
Category:Lawyers from Raleigh, North Carolina
Category:Members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans
Category:North Carolina Republicans
Category:Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary alumni
Category:Southern Baptist ministers
Category:State political party chairs of North Carolina
Category:United States attorneys for the Eastern District of North Carolina
Category:University of North Carolina School of Law alumni
Category:Wake Forest University alumni
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sam Currin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Currin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Currin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.