WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House says President Barack Obama will nominate Mary Jo White as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission this afternoon.

White served for nearly a decade as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, building a reputation as a tough prosecutor with an expertise in pursuing white-collar crimes and complex securities and financial fraud cases. White House officials say that experience makes her well-positioned to implement Obama's Wall Street reform legislation.

In 2000, White led the criminal prosecution of more than 100 people - including members of all five New York crime families - accused of strong-arming brokers and manipulating prices of penny stocks. The action was called one of the biggest crackdowns on securities fraud in U.S. history at the time.

A White House official says that Obama also will renominate Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The president used a recess appointment to circumvent Congress and install Cordray to the post last year. That appointment runs out later this year.

Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.