Tyler, Texas Criminal Defense for Money Laundering Suspects
Money laundering is an increasingly popular criminal charge with prosecutors, especially at the federal level.
Following years of high-profile financial scandals and headlines about terrorists funding their acts by way of laundering, the government now allocates additional funding for laundering investigations, and prosecutors seize the opportunity to press charges with regularity.
Unfortunately, the facts don’t always fit the charge. While money laundering can stand as a crime on its own, it is frequently treated as an “add-on” charge. Sadly, many prosecutors have an “as many charges as possible” mentality, regardless of how harsh or unfair the results may be.
After all, the people who are caught up in aggressive criminal fraud charges are often hardworking and highly skilled professionals who may have made a simple mistake, or who perhaps didn’t do anything wrong at all. A laundry list of accusations like money laundering and financial fraud can ruin a person’s or business’ reputation, regardless of the eventual outcome.
If you are under investigation for money laundering, you are not alone. Many people have unwittingly found themselves in a similar situation, and our office has been able to help many of those people escape prosecution.
Oberheiden, P.C. is an aggressive national criminal defense firm, with representation available through Texas and the entire United States. We approach every case with an effective strategy and an unwavering goal: an end to the investigation and an outright dismissal of the charges against you.
What Is Money Laundering?
Money laundering is an effort to disguise the proceeds of crime so that they appear to have arrived from legitimate operations.
It is important to understand that laundering is a separate charge from the underlying crime. Imagine, for example, someone who sells illegal drugs and then disguises the profits so that they appear to have come from a legitimate business. That person can be charged with both drug trafficking and money laundering, two separate crimes. He or she must then defend against both charges (as well as any other charges that might accompany them).
If you are facing a series of criminal allegations, it can be easy to dwell on the most serious underlying charge, but it’s important to consider your strategy for the money laundering charge too.
Money laundering is a serious offense in its own right, and the government is very aggressive in prosecuting the charge. Even if you are acquitted of all other charges, a money laundering conviction can still result in serious prison time and enormous monetary fines, not to mention a damaging criminal record.
Crimes Commonly Associated with Money Laundering
While money laundering can arise in almost any criminal context or even as a stand-alone charge, we typically see it accompany one or more of these underlying criminal charges:
- Drug trafficking
- Other drug crimes
- Wire fraud
- Mail fraud
- Bank fraud
- Check fraud
- Health care fraud
- Tax evasion
- Other tax-related fraud charges
- Racketeering / RICO charges
- Identity theft
Defending You Against a Money Laundering Charge in Texas or Beyond
You may be facing a money laundering investigation or fraud allegation, but the government does not have the final say. The Constitution safeguards your rights first and foremost, and we are here to zealously defend those rights.
Money laundering is a difficult crime to prove, and the prosecution bears the burden of proving it beyond the shadow of a doubt. Remember — the crime in money laundering is the disguise. But prosecutors often make hasty and unfounded assumptions about where your money came from and what you planned to do with it.
Where did the money come from? How much money came from which source? Can the various funds in your accounts be distinguished from one another? Who was really in control of those funds? What were they used for? What knowledge did you have?
These are just some of the questions that the prosecution has to answer — not you. We’re here to demand rock-solid answers to every one of those questions and more. Often, they can’t demonstrate them beyond the shadow of a doubt, and we win.
Our Tyler, Texas criminal defense attorneys are ready to do what it takes to have the charges against you dismissed.
Facing Money Laundering Charges? Take Action… Right Now
Time is of the essence. The sooner you bring in professional and aggressive legal representation, the sooner you can thwart the prosecution’s advances. If you’re under investigation or facing charges, they are already working against you. Don’t waste time in working against them.
Contact our Tyler, Texas criminal defense attorneys to schedule a free case review today.
