Money Laundering

Money Laundering Synopsis

This book is a summary of the elements of federal criminal money laundering statutes and sanctions imposed for their violation. The most prominent is 18 U.S.C. 1956. Section 1956 outlaws four kinds of money laundering -- promotional, concealment, smurfing, and tax evasion laundering, associated specified unlawful activities (designated federal, state and foreign underlying or predicate offences) - committed or attempted under one or more of three jurisdictional conditions (ie: laundering involving certain financial transactions, laundering involving international transfers, and stings). Its companion, 18 U.S.C. 1957, prohibits depositing or spending more than $10,000 of the proceeds from a section 1956 predicate offence. Violations of section 1956 are punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years; section 1957 carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment for 10 years. Property involved in either case is subject to confiscation. The text of the statutes discussed, citations of state money laundering and money transmission statutes, a list of section 1956 predicate offences, and a bibliography are appended.