Illinois federal money laundering lawyer

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 Illinois 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 Illinois

Federal money laundering crimes in Illinois are prosecuted in the federal court system, with cases generally handled in one of the state’s three U.S. District Courts based on where the alleged offense occurred. Chicago is a major court location for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Springfield for the Central District of Illinois, and Benton for the Southern District of Illinois. All three federal judicial districts in Illinois fall within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh 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.