Daniel W. Moger, III, former U.S Treasury Department official, passed away in Hong Kong on March 13, as a result of complications from COVID-19 and an underlying blood disorder. He was 40 years old.
Sometimes described as a force of nature, Dan’s untimely departure from this world leaves a gaping void both in the ranks of the financial crimes compliance community, as well as the family and friends he loved so fiercely.
Raised in Riverside, Dan was a graduate of Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and the Johns Hopkins Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C.
He began his career with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), working in Tbilisi, Georgia during the Rose Revolution. After a brief stint working in Investor Relations in Los Angeles (as he explained, “by the time I realized that the ‘IR’ they were talking about wasn’t International Relations, I thought to myself, ‘why not?'”), he turned back to foreign affairs, serving as an election monitor in Kazakhstan and subsequently enrolling in SAIS. During graduate school he spent a year in Bologna, Italy and a summer of intensive Arabic study in Damascus, Syria, where every cab driver and shopkeeper he befriended tried to feed him and correct his pronunciation.
After graduating from SAIS, Dan sought out work that was an obvious extension of his intellectual interests; in 2008, he joined the Department of Treasury in the Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes (TFFC), working there until serving as Treasury Attaché to Consulate Jerusalem from 2011 to 2013, then returning to TFFC until late 2014. Dan spent a year as a sanctions consultant with EY, but soon returned again to TFFC from 2016 to 2019, ultimately rising to the level of Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. In 2019, he set out to begin a new adventure in Hong Kong as Asia Pacific Sanctions Director for Citibank.
Dan married Julie Mills in October 2017. In his wedding vows, Dan promised to delight, enrich, and challenge her daily, and he was true to his word. Although their journey had barely started, the years they had together were full of memories from their travels around the world, long drives in the Shenandoah Valley, late night debates, and trading stories over many leisurely meals. In 2021, they welcomed their cheeky baby girl Georgina, “Georgie,” whom Dan could barely stop bragging about during calls with colleagues or dinners with friends.
Dan spoke French fluently; and Arabic, Italian, and Georgian to varying degrees when circumstances required. But there was no area of the world where he couldn’t make himself understood, because there was no area of the world that didn’t interest him – especially if he could try the food.
He was equally at home playing soccer with little kids in Connecticut, savoring dumplings at a Kowloon dai pai dong, endlessly toasting with chacha at a Georgian supra, boxing in the 9th Arrondissement of Paris, buying falafel from an old man who already knew his order before Dan opened his mouth in Jerusalem, or in one of his signature bow ties on the way to a briefing at the White House. He was your guy if you wanted to talk about national security policy, LGBTQ advocacy, the evolution of hip hop, or which recent fantasy novel was best – bonus points awarded if it included dragons. And there was no set of world or personal events that didn’t sound more interesting, more the stuff of legends, or more humorous in Dan’s retelling. He was a master storyteller, even if – especially if – the joke was on him.
Dan was the life of any party, the cool head in any emergency, a fierce competitor in any game, a discerning mind for any analysis, and the first one ready to laugh at any joke. He was a steadfastly devoted husband, and he was so very, very proud of his baby girl.
Dan is survived by his wife, Julie; daughter, Georgina; parents, Daniel and Angela; sister, Amanda; brother-in-law, Patrick; nephews, Jasper and Rory; niece, Eve and a legion of other broken-hearted friends and family.
A celebration of his life will be held on April 6 at 12:30pm (doors open at noon) at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street, Washington, DC. Proof of vaccination and masks required.
In lieu of flowers, please consider gifts in Dan’s memory to the following organizations:
– OutRight Action International in support of human rights and dignity of LGBTIQ people everywhere. outrightinternational.org
or
– Phillips Academy, 180 Main Street, Andover, MA 01810 or andover.edu/giving. Please note Dan’s name on the memo line of your check or in the special instructions online. Donations in Dan’s name will be directed to supporting disadvantaged students.
