New York City Federal Money Laundering Lawyer
Federal money laundering prosecutions are among the most resource-intensive cases the government brings. When the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, or the Department of Justice pursues a money laundering charge, they have typically spent months or years building the case before a single arrest is made. The investigation is often already at an advanced stage by the time a target becomes aware they are being scrutinized. Working with a New York City federal money laundering lawyer before charges are filed, not after, is one of the most consequential decisions a person in this position can make.
Federal money laundering charges carry serious exposure. A conviction under the primary federal money laundering statute can result in up to 20 years in federal prison per count, and prosecutors routinely stack counts across transactions. The government also pursues civil and criminal forfeiture aggressively in these cases, meaning the financial consequences extend far beyond any prison sentence. Assets including bank accounts, real estate, and business interests can be frozen at the earliest stages of an investigation, long before a defendant has had the opportunity to contest anything in court.
New York is one of the most active jurisdictions for federal money laundering prosecutions in the country. The Southern District of New York and the Eastern District of New York handle enormous volumes of financial crime cases every year, drawing on the density of financial institutions, international transactions, and sophisticated criminal organizations operating in and around the city. The lawyers in these offices are experienced, well-funded, and rarely bring a case they do not believe they can win. The defense has to match that preparation with something better.
What Makes Federal Money Laundering Cases Distinctively Difficult to Defend
The federal money laundering statutes are built to be broad. They cover not only the act of concealing the proceeds of a specified unlawful activity, but also transactions that are designed to evade reporting requirements, and transactions that involve a financial institution while the defendant knows the funds represent criminal proceeds. This means that someone who did not commit the underlying crime, but who moved, received, or structured money connected to it, can face money laundering charges as serious as those faced by the original offender.
Prosecutors do not need to prove the defendant knew the precise source of the funds. Knowledge that the funds derived from some form of criminal activity is generally sufficient. This creates cases where financial professionals, attorneys, accountants, real estate brokers, and family members of defendants find themselves criminally exposed for transactions they considered ordinary. The government draws on financial records, wire transfers, bank surveillance, cooperating witnesses, and electronic communications assembled over years. Responding to that kind of evidence requires more than a single courtroom strategy.
The defense in a money laundering case is built across multiple arenas simultaneously. It involves challenging the government’s theory of the underlying crime, contesting the tracing of funds, attacking cooperating witness credibility, seeking to suppress evidence obtained through search warrants or wiretaps, and in many cases working with forensic financial experts to offer an alternative account of where money came from and where it went. That is substantive, document-intensive, deeply technical work.
Codified by 18 U.S.C. § 1956 , 1957 , just about any financial or monetary transaction involving money obtained from unlawful activity can be a federal money laundering offense. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1957, any person or business executive can commit money laundering when they knowingly engage or attempt to engage in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000.
Charges and Situations This Office Handles in Federal Money Laundering Matters
- Concealment money laundering: Cases where the government alleges a defendant conducted financial transactions specifically designed to disguise the nature, source, or ownership of proceeds from unlawful activity, including drug trafficking, fraud, extortion, or organized crime.
- Promotion money laundering: Allegations that a defendant used proceeds from a specified unlawful activity to carry on or promote that same criminal enterprise, a charge that connects financial transactions directly to underlying criminal conduct.
- Structuring and smurfing charges: Federal law prohibits breaking up transactions to avoid the currency reporting thresholds that banks are required to file, and prosecutors treat structuring as evidence of consciousness of guilt in broader money laundering schemes.
- International and cross-border laundering: Cases involving the movement of funds through foreign financial institutions, offshore accounts, shell companies, or cryptocurrency exchanges, which frequently appear in SDNY and EDNY prosecutions given New York’s role as a global financial hub.
- Money laundering tied to wire fraud, bank fraud, or securities offenses: Financial crime prosecutions in New York regularly layer money laundering counts onto underlying fraud charges, multiplying both the sentencing exposure and the complexity of the defense.
- Real estate-based laundering allegations: Given the volume and opacity of New York’s real estate transactions, property purchases are a frequent target in money laundering investigations, with buyers, sellers, brokers, and attorneys all potentially drawn into the government’s theory.
- Cryptocurrency and digital asset laundering: Prosecutors and investigators have developed sophisticated blockchain analysis tools, and digital asset transactions that defendants believed were untraceable are increasingly the centerpiece of federal money laundering indictments.
- Pre-indictment grand jury representations: Defending a client during the grand jury phase, before charges are formally filed, when there is still the possibility of avoiding an indictment entirely or negotiating a resolution that does not include money laundering counts.
Why Retain The Law Offices of Jason Goldman for a Federal Money Laundering Defense
Jason Goldman built his practice from a foundation as a Brooklyn prosecutor, where he handled serious felony cases and learned how the government constructs its most complex prosecutions. That prosecutorial background shapes how he approaches the other side of the table. He understands how federal investigations are assembled, how cooperating witness agreements are structured, and where the evidentiary pressure points in a money laundering case tend to be. The New York Post has called him “high-powered,” WABC’s Sid Rosenberg described him as “brilliant,” and Chelsea News noted his “history of getting high-profile defendants off.” Those are external assessments, but they reflect something real about the quality of representation this office provides.
Mr. Goldman has tried over 25 cases to verdict and practices across every phase of federal criminal litigation, from pre-arrest investigations through trial and into sentencing and appellate practice. His clients have included corporate executives in finance, real estate, and hospitality, attorneys, and other professionals whose situations required both courtroom skill and discretion outside of it. He is admitted to practice in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the two federal courts where the overwhelming majority of New York City money laundering prosecutions are handled, and he regularly takes on pro hac vice admissions for matters arising in other jurisdictions. For cases that carry a public dimension, Mr. Goldman also draws on a trusted network of public relations professionals and crisis communications specialists to manage narrative carefully, keeping clients protected from reputational damage during sensitive investigation periods when that approach serves them best. That combination of legal precision and strategic awareness of the broader environment surrounding a case is not something every federal criminal defense attorney offers.
When the Government Comes Calling: What to Do and Where Things Stand Procedurally
Federal money laundering investigations often surface through indirect signals before any formal contact is made. Unusual activity notices from financial institutions, subpoenas served on banks or employers, a visit or call from federal agents, or the discovery that a business partner has been cooperating with the government are all warning signs that should prompt immediate consultation with a federal money laundering attorney in New York City. Waiting to act until charges are filed is one of the most common and costly mistakes people make in these situations.
If federal agents have already made contact, the instinct to explain or clarify the situation without counsel present is understandable but consistently harmful. Agents conducting money laundering investigations are trained to elicit statements that become evidence. Nothing said in those conversations is off the record, and even truthful statements can be framed in ways that complicate a defense. The right response is to be polite, acknowledge that you understand they are reaching out, and state that you will speak with your attorney before answering any questions. That is it. Nothing more is necessary or advisable.
Federal money laundering cases in New York are typically handled in the SDNY at the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse at 40 Foley Square in Lower Manhattan, or in the EDNY at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn at 225 Cadman Plaza East. Both districts have dedicated financial crime units staffed by prosecutors who handle these cases exclusively. Grand jury proceedings, which are the primary tool the government uses to build money laundering indictments, are conducted entirely in secret, and a target or subject of a grand jury investigation has no right to appear or offer testimony unless they choose to and are specifically invited. Protecting a client during that phase, including shaping the government’s perception of what the evidence actually shows, is among the most valuable work a defense attorney can do in a federal money laundering matter.
If assets have been frozen through a restraining order or a pretrial seizure, there are legal mechanisms to challenge the freeze and seek a release of funds for living expenses and legal fees. Those motions require moving quickly, as courts apply specific procedural standards and the government will often oppose them vigorously. Similarly, if a search warrant has already been executed, a careful review of the affidavit submitted to obtain the warrant may reveal grounds for suppression that could eliminate critical evidence from the government’s case.
Questions People Ask About Federal Money Laundering Charges in New York
What is the difference between money laundering and the underlying criminal charge?
Money laundering is a separate federal offense from whatever crime generated the funds in question. A person can be charged with both the predicate offense, meaning the crime that produced the money, and money laundering based on what they did with the proceeds. Prosecutors use this structure specifically because it multiplies the available counts and increases sentencing exposure significantly.
Can someone be convicted of money laundering even if they were not involved in the underlying crime?
Yes. Federal law covers individuals who knowingly participate in financial transactions involving funds they knew to be proceeds of some form of criminal activity, even if they had no role in generating those proceeds. This is why attorneys, accountants, real estate professionals, and others who handle financial transactions can find themselves charged in cases where they were not part of the original criminal conduct.
What does the government have to show regarding intent in a money laundering case?
The government must generally show that the defendant knew the funds involved were the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity and that the transaction was conducted with the purpose of concealing the source or nature of those funds, or to evade reporting requirements, or to promote the underlying criminal activity. The specific intent element varies depending on which subsection of the statute the government is charging under.
Can money laundering charges be brought even if the underlying crime happened outside the United States?
Federal money laundering jurisdiction extends to international transactions in a number of circumstances, including when the funds are transported into or out of the United States, when a U.S. financial institution is involved in the transaction, or when the conduct is otherwise tied to the United States through the movement of money. The SDNY in particular handles many international financial crime prosecutions given New York’s role in global banking and commerce.
What happens to my assets if I am investigated for federal money laundering?
The government has authority to seek restraining orders freezing assets it believes are traceable to money laundering or forfeitable as proceeds of the offense. This can happen before charges are filed in some circumstances. Once frozen, accessing those funds, including for legal representation, requires a court proceeding. The sooner an attorney engages with the government about the scope and basis of any asset freeze, the more options remain available.
How does the government trace money in these cases?
Federal investigators use a combination of bank records subpoenaed directly from financial institutions, wire transfer data, IRS tax filings, real estate transaction records, blockchain analysis for cryptocurrency, and information from cooperating witnesses who participated in the transactions. In complex multi-year investigations, the government may have a clearer picture of the financial trail than the defendant does by the time contact is made.
Is it possible to resolve a federal money laundering case without going to trial?
Yes, and many federal money laundering cases are resolved through plea agreements. The question is what the agreement actually requires. Sometimes the best outcome is a plea to a lesser charge that avoids the money laundering counts, which carry the heaviest mandatory minimums. Other times, challenging the government’s case aggressively through pretrial motions and discovery produces a better result than any negotiated resolution. The right path depends entirely on the specific facts and the strength of the evidence.
My company received funds that I later learned may have been connected to a fraud. Am I personally exposed?
Potentially, depending on what you knew, when you knew it, and what actions were taken once you became aware. The government looks closely at whether any steps were taken to integrate, transfer, or structure those funds after knowledge of their potential origin. Consulting with a federal criminal defense attorney before taking any action with those funds, or before responding to any government inquiry, is critical.
How are money laundering charges handled differently in the SDNY versus the EDNY?
Both courts are highly sophisticated venues with experienced financial crime prosecutors and judges who are deeply familiar with complex fraud and laundering cases. There are procedural and cultural differences between the two districts that affect how cases develop, what pretrial motions are likely to succeed, and what the realistic sentencing outcomes look like. Having an attorney who has practiced extensively in both courts, rather than just one, matters in cases that could potentially be prosecuted in either.
Can a federal money laundering conviction be appealed?
Yes. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals handles appeals from both the SDNY and EDNY, and there are recognized grounds for challenging money laundering convictions on appeal, including challenges to jury instructions on the knowledge element, challenges to the sufficiency of the evidence tying specific transactions to the alleged unlawful activity, and challenges to rulings on suppression motions or the admissibility of evidence. Preserving issues for appeal begins at the trial level, which is one reason why the defense strategy must account for the appellate posture from the outset.
Serving Federal Criminal Defense Clients Across New York City and Beyond
The Law Offices of Jason Goldman represents clients facing federal money laundering investigations and prosecutions throughout New York City and the surrounding region. In Manhattan, the office serves clients from Midtown, the Financial District, Tribeca, SoHo, the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side, Hudson Yards, and every neighborhood in between. In Brooklyn, the firm handles cases originating in Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Park Slope, Bay Ridge, Flatbush, Bed-Stuy, and Crown Heights. Clients in Queens come from Flushing, Jamaica, Astoria, Forest Hills, Long Island City, and Bayside. The firm also represents individuals in the Bronx, Staten Island, and the broader metropolitan area including Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester County, and northern New Jersey. For matters arising in federal courts beyond New York, Mr. Goldman accepts pro hac vice admissions and has handled cases in federal jurisdictions throughout the country. Financial crime investigations rarely confine themselves to a single jurisdiction, and neither does the firm’s representation.
Speak with a New York City Federal Money Laundering Attorney
Federal money laundering cases move on the government’s timeline, not yours. If you believe you are under investigation, have received a grand jury subpoena, have had assets frozen, or have been contacted by federal agents, the window for shaping what happens next is open now and will not remain open indefinitely. The Law Offices of Jason Goldman provides representation from a New York City federal money laundering attorney who has spent a career understanding how these cases are built and how to take them apart. Contact the firm today to discuss your situation confidentially.
Sentencing & Penalties in New York If convicted of money laundering under 18 U.S.C. § 1956, you will likely face significant penalties, including: A fine of up to $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the money laundering, whichever is greater, and Up to 20 years in federal prison.
