Money laundering.
Defence lawyer for money-laundering cases under Law 129/2019: the autonomy of the offence from the predicate crime, frozen accounts and confiscation, before the prosecutor’s office (DNA, DIICOT) and the courts. We step in from the criminal investigation stage and assist you through to the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.
Your accounts or assets have been frozen on suspicion of money laundering
You are investigated for money laundering linked to a predicate offence (fraud, tax evasion, corruption)
You are accused of money laundering through companies, cash or crypto-assets
You have been sent to trial under art. 49 of Law 129/2019
Tracing the funds
We map the origin and the flow of the money and the alleged link to a predicate offence.
Procedural review
We test how the suspicion was built, the freezing measures and the lawfulness of the evidence.
Defence on the merits
We challenge the legal classification of the offence and its autonomy from the predicate offence.
Can I be convicted of money laundering without a conviction for the predicate offence?
The autonomy of money laundering from the predicate offence is debated, but the prosecution still has to prove the criminal origin of the funds. That proof is often the decisive point of the defence. See our white-collar crime practice.
My accounts were frozen: can I challenge it?
Yes. Freezing and seizure measures can be contested and their scope limited to the suspected amount. Acting early protects cash-flow and the running of the business.
Does moving money through crypto count as money laundering?
It can, depending on intent and on the origin of the funds. Tracing and the technical analysis of blockchain transactions are often decisive. See our cybercrime and crypto practice.
What is a predicate offence?
The underlying crime that generated the funds (fraud, tax evasion, corruption). Its proof is tied to the laundering charge and is often the decisive point of the case.
Can crypto-assets be traced, seized or confiscated in a laundering case?
Yes. Crypto-assets can be traced on-chain, frozen at exchanges and confiscated like any other proceeds. The defence focuses on the reliability of the blockchain analysis, the real link to a predicate offence and the lawfulness of the seizure; movements through mixers, crypto exchanges or self-custody wallets each raise distinct evidentiary questions. See our cybercrime and crypto practice.
Don’t wait for the first hearing.
Who assists you from day one matters.