Texas federal money laundering lawyer
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Federal money laundering charges in Texas
Federal money laundering is generally prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 1956 and involves certain financial transactions connected to proceeds from specified unlawful activity. Contrary to the common idea that money laundering only means “hiding dirty money,” the federal statute covers several forms of conduct. Federal money laundering charges in Texas can include knowingly conducting a financial transaction involving criminal proceeds with the intent to promote further unlawful activity, conducting a transaction designed to conceal the source, ownership, location, or control of criminal proceeds, or attempting to avoid federal or state transaction-reporting requirements.
- Federal statute
- 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956, 1957
- Investigated by
- IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI
- Federal courts
- Northern District of Texas Southern District of Texas Eastern District of Texas Western District of Texas
- Appeals
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
To establish certain forms of federal money laundering under § 1956, prosecutors generally must prove that the defendant knowingly conducted or attempted to conduct a financial transaction, knew the property represented proceeds from some form of unlawful activity, and that the property actually came from a qualifying “specified unlawful activity.” Depending on the particular charge, prosecutors may also need to establish that the transaction was intended to promote unlawful activity or that the defendant knew it was designed to conceal or disguise criminal proceeds. Federal law also separately addresses certain international transfers of funds connected to unlawful activity.
A conviction for federal money laundering in Texas under 18 U.S.C. § 1956 can carry severe penalties. A violation can result in up to 20 years in federal prison and a criminal fine of up to \$500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Federal law also provides for civil penalties in certain cases, and a person who conspires to commit an offense under § 1956 can be subject to the same penalties prescribed for the underlying money laundering offense.
Where federal money laundering charges are prosecuted in Texas
Federal money laundering crimes in Texas are prosecuted in the federal court system, with cases generally handled in one of the state’s four U.S. District Courts based on where the alleged offense occurred. Houston is a major court location for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, San Antonio for the Western District of Texas, Dallas for the Northern District of Texas, and Beaumont for the Eastern District of Texas. All four federal judicial districts in Texas fall within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The specific district and court location where a federal money laundering case is prosecuted generally depends on where the alleged criminal conduct occurred and the counties served by that district.
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