An account freeze, a subpoena, a bank’s sudden exit — allegations touching money laundering escalate fast. Our money laundering defense and compliance practice protects businesses and their principals as part of our international litigation work. Moreover, cross-border transactions are exactly where these accusations — and their defenses — live.
What U.S. Money Laundering Law Actually Covers
The core statutes, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957, criminalize transactions involving proceeds of specified crimes — and they reach conduct far beyond what most businesspeople expect, including routine wires that touch tainted funds. Consequently, companies can face exposure for customers’ conduct they never knew about.
Our Money Laundering Defense and Compliance Work
First, prevention: AML compliance programs, transaction reviews, and Bank Secrecy Act guidance sized for real businesses. Second, response: representing companies and executives in investigations, coordinating with specialized criminal counsel where charges loom. Third, collateral battles: unfreezing accounts, responding to civil forfeiture, and repairing banking relationships after de-risking.
The Cross-Border Dimension
International wires, trade finance, and foreign counterparties raise the risk profile — and the defense complexity. Therefore, we combine U.S. exposure analysis with the realities of FCPA and sanctions compliance, because these regimes travel together in enforcement.
FAQ: Money Laundering Defense
My company’s account was frozen. What first?
Engage counsel before contacting the bank or agents. In short, early statements shape everything that follows — make them strategically.
Can a business face money laundering exposure for a client’s crimes?
Yes, if it processed tainted funds with the requisite knowledge — and “willful blindness” can substitute for knowledge. However, strong compliance programs are powerful defenses.
Is money laundering defense only criminal work?
No. Instead, most matters are civil or administrative: forfeitures, subpoenas, regulator inquiries, and bank disputes — resolved without charges when handled early.
Conclusion
AML exposure is survivable with speed and structure — and preventable with compliance. Therefore, whether you need a program built or a money laundering defense mounted, act before the government frames the story. Contact Transnational Matters or call (305) 417-9866.