money laundering

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A summary of federal wire fraud

February 9, 2011

The federal statute on wire fraud is Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Congress passed the wire fraud statute in 1952 as part of the Communications Act Amendment. The law against mail fraud was already on the books at that point, but Congress wanted to extend the mail fraud provisions to cover new technology. [...]

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An overview of federal money laundering statutes

February 6, 2011
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The United States government keeps close watch on financial activity both for tax collection purposes and also for law enforcement. Tracking the flow of cash through small businesses has proven to be a useful tool for federal agents investigating large scale criminal organizations. Money laundering, generally, is the practice of using a business to conceal [...]

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Failure to report more than $10,000 cash: felony under federal law

January 16, 2011
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A person who is self-employed would probably always prefer cash payment from customers over credit cards or personal checks. But the self-employed should be wary of federal laws concerning reporting cash payments. Intentional violation of cash reporting laws can result in felony charges. The federal government watches small business closely in a number of ways. [...]

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Proof of an agreement is necessary for conspiracy charges

November 1, 2010
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Most conspiracy cases are charged under the general conspiracy statute from Title 18, Section 371 of the United States Code. In a conspiracy case, the prosecution must prove all of the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt in order for the jury to find the defendant guilty: An agreement. An unlawful object (ie, a criminal [...]

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