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Federal Drug Money Laundering: Financial Crimes in Drug Cases
Contents
Federal Drug Money Laundering: Financial Crime Defense
Money laundering charges frequently accompany federal drug trafficking prosecutions. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1956 and § 1957, conducting financial transactions with drug proceeds is a separate federal crime carrying substantial additional penalties—up to 20 years per count, potentially running consecutive to drug sentences.
If your facing both drug trafficking and money laundering charges, you need to understand how these crimes interact and how defending one affects the other.
What Constitutes Money Laundering
Section 1956: Conducting financial transaction with proceeds of specified unlawful activity (including drug trafficking), knowing the transaction is designed to:
• Conceal nature, location, source, ownership of proceeds
• Avoid transaction reporting requirements
• Promote continuation of criminal activity
Section 1957: Knowingly engaging in monetary transactions over $10,000 with criminally derived property. Simpler to prove—no concealment purpose required.
How Drug Cases Become Money Laundering Cases
Drug trafficking generates cash. What happens to that cash creates money laundering exposure:
• Depositing drug proceeds in banks (structuring to avoid reporting)
• Purchasing assets (cars, property, jewelry) with drug money
• Transferring money to disguise source
• Using businesses to commingle dirty and legitimate funds
• International wire transfers
The goverment loves adding money laundering charges because they expand evidence, enable broader asset forfeiture, and increase sentence exposure.
Sentencing Impact
Each money laundering count carries up to 20 years imprisonment. Multiple transactions mean multiple counts. In some cases, money laundering sentences run consecutive to drug sentences rather then concurrent—dramatically increasing total imprisonment.
Asset forfeiture provisions allow the goverment to seize not just drug proceeds but also property used to facilitate money laundering. Homes, vehicles, bank accounts—all subject to forfeiture.
Defense Strategies
Challenge proceeds element: Government must prove money derived from drug trafficking. If legitimate income was involved, challenge characterization.
Challenge knowledge: Did you know funds were drug proceeds? Did you know transaction was designed to conceal?
Challenge concealment purpose: For Section 1956, goverment must prove concealment purpose. Simple spending isn’t automatically concealment.
Merger argument: Some circuits limit money laundering charges that merely describe spending drug proceeds. Challenge over-charging.
Get Help Now
Money laundering charges multiply drug case exposure through additional counts, forfeiture, and potentially consecutive sentences. Defense requires understanding both drug law and financial crime prosecution. Call today. We’re here 24/7.