Federal authorities take a relentless approach to investigating and prosecuting individuals and entities for money laundering, and many such parties are stunned to find themselves the target of money laundering prosecutions. In recent decades, the federal government has rapidly intensified its efforts in cracking down on money laundering as a way of targeting underlying crimes of theft, drug trafficking, terrorism, and other organized criminal activities, and it is often unsuspecting third parties who are dragged into investigations based on money laundering charges. It can be a catastrophic mistake to respond to federal investigators without an attorney – even if you believe you are innocent – as federal money laundering laws are complex and target parties regardless of whether they had full knowledge of underlying criminal activities. At Breeding Carter, we aggressively represent the interests and defend the rights of parties under investigation for money laundering.
How Money Laundering Laws Target Third Parties
The primary federal money laundering laws – 18 U.S.C. 1956 and 1957 – make it illegal to conduct financial transactions which have the purpose of concealing the nature, source, or proceeds of money derived from illegal activity. Numerous other federal laws work in tandem with as well as independently from these statutes to target specific crimes such as racketeering, terrorism, drug trafficking and others.
Although these laws certainly target parties who have engaged in crimes and who are trying to hide the proceeds and/or operating funds, they also target other parties who did not commit the underlying crimes and may not have even known the specifics of the crimes so long as their actions facilitated the concealment of assets. Based on federal criminal standards relating to conspiracy, aiding and abetting, and attempted crimes, a party may be targeted for criminal prosecution by simply agreeing to enter into a financial transaction, encouraging or assisting in a financial transaction, or merely attempting to conduct a transaction.
Do Not Speak To Authorities Without An Attorney
It is your constitutional right to have a criminal defense attorney present during all questioning by government authorities, and attempting to speak to them without an attorney who understands money laundering laws can result in irreversible self-inflicted injury. Federal money laundering crimes can result in sentences of decades in federal prison (and misrepresenting facts to federal agents can result in additional felony charges), and thus it is critical to take all necessary precautions by working with an experienced federal defense attorney who can fully assess your situation and defend your rights and interests during all aspects of a money laundering investigation and/or prosecution.
Contact A Defense Attorney Today
Breeding Carter provides criminal defense to individuals and businesses in all state and federal investigations and prosecutions. If you believe you may be under investigation for money laundering, do not hesitate to contact us today to schedule a confidential consultation regarding your matter
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If you have questions, contact us at 865-670-8535 or fill out our online contact form. We respond promptly to inquiries.