Diligent South Carolina Attorney Defends Clients in Money Laundering Cases

Reputable Columbia white collar defense lawyer handles serious charges

Money laundering is the process of making illegally obtained money seem legitimate — and available — by concealing its origins, usually through complex banking transfers and often involving foreign banks. Money laundering is so named because it is all about making “dirty” money “clean.” If you face charges for money laundering in South Carolina, work with Jack B. Swerling, Attorney at Law. Based in Columbia, Mr. Swerling has more than 40 years of experience handling criminal defense cases, including money laundering and other white collar crimes. He provides clients statewide with the advice and advocacy these serious charges demand.

Determined advocate looks for weaknesses in the prosecution’s case

If you’re charged with money laundering, the federal prosecutor you face is sure to analyze every single detail of your case.  Attorney Jack B. Swerling is just as detail-oriented and seeks to identify mistakes and errors made by law enforcement as well as vulnerabilities in the prosecutor’s arguments.

There are several stages that most money laundering schemes go through:

• Placement/structuring — In placement or structuring, the cash produced from illegal activities gets placed into a bank or brokerage account or some sort of legitimate business. The money then gets transferred into money orders or traveler’s checks so that it can be spent.
• Layering — At this stage, the process begins to get a bit more complicated. The alleged launderer moves money around to different areas, creating a variety of layers so that the money’s original source cannot be discovered. The money could go to multiple accounts or banks, multiple businesses, trusts and more. It could even get transferred to different countries. In many cases, people sell the goods they bought with the laundered money to create a longer paper trail.
• Integration — This is the final stage of most money laundering schemes and involves putting the money back into the economy. At this point, the money is seen as “clean” and can be used for purchasing legitimate assets and services. At this stage, it is much more difficult for law enforcement to find the original source of the money.

Money laundering cases, like many types of white collar crime cases, can be complex, demanding the attention of a committed criminal defense lawyer. Mr. Swerling is prepared to develop and present a multi-pronged defense strategy in negotiations with prosecutors and at trial.

Accomplished counselor mounts strong defenses to fight harsh penalties

Money laundering is a felony, resulting in severe penalties upon conviction. A person found guilty of money laundering in South Carolina may face between one year and 25 years in prison, with longer sentences given to repeat offenders and where larger sums of money are involved. The defendant may also have to pay a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the value of the financial transactions, whichever is greater. Larger fines can be given to repeat offenders.

Fortunately, Mr. Swerling can call upon various defense tactics in representing people accused of money laundering. The defendant must have known that unlawful activity was a source of the property involved in the financial transaction and must have either intended to promote the continuance of the unlawful activity or must have known that the transaction was designed to conceal or disguise the criminal activity. If you were unaware of the illegal actions that funded a transaction or your intent was to remedy rather than conceal or continue the illegal activity, you may not be guilty of the alleged crime. When you hire Jack B. Swerling to defend you against a money laundering charge, his goal will be to protect your freedom and financial future as well as your reputation.

Contact a strategic South Carolina money laundering defense attorney for a free consultation

With more than 40 years of experience practicing criminal law, Jack B. Swerling, Attorney at Law, defends individuals against money laundering charges filed in South Carolina at the state and federal levels. To schedule a free initial consultation with Mr. Swerling, call his Columbia office at 800-701-0599 or contact him online.