Money laundering is the unlawful practice of concealing the source of illegally derived funds through transactions designed to conceal the source, amount, identity, or destination of the proceeds. Money laundering allegations can involve the banking system or the private sector.
Included within money laundering is currency smuggling and structuring of deposits to avoid the filing of federal reporting forms. As in tax cases, the government bears the burden of proving that the accused had a specific intent to conduct the prohibited transaction before there can be any criminal conviction, which means that the mere fact that a certain financial transaction occurred is not proof of a crime; there must also be a showing of a specific intent to commit the crime. Defenses in these cases frequently focus on the intent element proving that the accused lacked the intent required to commit the crime.
If you are facing money laundering charges, it is in your best interest to consult with a lawyer skilled in federal white collar criminal defense. To arrange a consultation with Todd Foster Law Group, please contact us at 813-253-2020 or tfoster@tfosterlaw.com.
