Money Laundering Defense Lawyers

If you have been indicted for money laundering, you are facing severe criminal charges at a federal level. A conviction can result in severe penalties, including prison time, forfeiture of assets, and significant fines.

Regardless of your involvement in the purported crimes, you must understand the gravity of the situation: money laundering charges pit you against the federal government in court, and the potential outcome can be devastating in many ways.

Whether you are under investigation or being asked to respond to questions about an illegal money laundering scheme, hiring a skilled federal money laundering is paramount; the national anti-money laundering laws are complex, and you will need a defense lawyer to assess your cases and proceed accordingly and effectively.

Under federal law, transferring money derived from criminal activity into legitimate channels to disguise the funds’ illegal origins is a crime. In the event of a conviction, the defendant can face penalties that include up to 20 years in federal prison or fines of $500,000 or more.

However, not all white-collar crime defense attorneys are adequately equipped to handle money laundering cases. Federal money laundering charges require a particular legal skill set as a highly specialized area of the law. When you trust your case to a money laundering defense attorney from SKJM, you know you are in the best hands. 

For the sake of your defense, choose an experienced and knowledgeable money laundering lawyer from SKJM. No matter your case’s complexity, we are committed to working tirelessly to mount a defense that helps you reach the best possible outcome in your circumstances. Texas lawyers from SKJM are here to help if you are facing money laundering charges.

What is Money Laundering?

In simplest terms, money laundering is the act of disguising the source, amount, or destination of money obtained illegally. The money in question may be related to fraud, drug trafficking, embezzlement, or other criminal activities.

As the term suggests, money laundering aims to “clean” the “dirty” money, making it appear as if it was legally earned and avoiding criminal investigation or prosecution. 

Typically, money laundering is accomplished by utilizing various bank transfers and transactions to “move” illegitimate funds through legitimate businesses. An individual may rely on different stages for money laundering, including:

• Placement of funds: Discretely depositing unlawful funds into a legitimate financial institution
• The layering of funds: Organizing complex transactions to move the money around, making it increasingly difficult to locate the source (for example, conducting money transfers through offshore bank accounts)
• Integrating of funds: Withdrawing the money, which has now been “laundered,” from what looks like a legal banking account so that it can be used for legitimate purposes.

Money Laundering Statutes

The Money Laundering Control Act of 1986 made money laundering a federal crime that can be penalized with a substantial prison sentence. 

There are two critical parts of this Act:

• 18 U.S.C. § 1956 states that an individual or business executive can be charged with money laundering if they knowingly and intentionally:
  • Promote illegal activity involving money
  • Avoid fulfilling transaction reporting requirements or paying taxes
  • Hide the nature, location, ownership, or source of money
  • Commit various acts, including attempting to conduct a financial transaction involving funds they know to be illegitimate
  • Transport, transmit, or transfer illegally obtained funds to or from a foreign country (or try to do so) 
  • Conduct (or attempt to conduct) a financial transaction involving money that is the proceeds of illegal activity or any activity or property that will be used to perform any unlawful activity 
• 18 U.S.C. § 1957 states that an individual or business executive can be charged with committing money laundering when they knowingly engage in a financial transaction(s) with criminally derived property valued at $10,000 or more (or attempt to do so).

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