Money Laundering

Money laundering – or the act of making illegally obtained money look legitimate so that it can be freely spent – is something that happens in stages. Each stage of the money laundering process tends to involve multiple people and significant legal risk. What are...

Money laundering is a multi-step process – because it takes a lot to make illegal funds appear legitimate.  Among the various techniques used by criminals, "smurfing" is a common tactic employed to evade detection and launder large sums of money. How does smurfing...

Disgorgement certainly sounds painful, and it is – at least financially. That’s what an individual or a business can be ordered to do if they’re found guilty of or arrive at a settlement involving fraudulently obtaining assets.  Generally, the full phrase that’s used...

Large sums of money from illegal sources can’t be used without attracting government attention until it’s been sufficiently “cleaned” and its origins are hidden. The real estate industry is, unfortunately, one of the biggest targets for money laundering.  Real estate...

Money laundering charges are serious allegations that can result severe legal consequences. When facing such charges, individuals or entities may explore various defenses to challenge the allegations against them. The following are potential defenses that could be...

Money laundering is a serious concern for federal regulatory authorities. Money laundering involves obfuscating the origins of capital, often because people violated the law to make money. Many organized criminal efforts involving drugs or human trafficking need to...

Transactions in business happen every single day, and this includes the sale of actual businesses. For the most part, these deals go through smoothly and are beneficial to all parties.  However, this isn’t always the case. The integrity of any business deal relies on...

A shell company is a legal entity that has been established but that doesn’t actually operate as a business. It may not own any assets. It may not have any employees. It may not have any business contracts or revenue. It is a company in name only, and it exists on...

It may sound like an old Seinfeld storyline. However, recycling fraud is a very real problem in California, and prosecutors take it seriously. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) even has a Bureau of Investigation Recycle Fraud Team (RFT) that investigates this...

Money laundering involves taking dirty money earned from illegal activities and making it appear clean to obscure its illicit origins. By doing so, individuals or groups can enjoy their ill-gotten gains without drawing suspicion. Money laundering traditionally...