Are you looking for a federal money laundering lawyer?

At StechLaw Criminal Defense, we defend federal money laundering charges with a practice built on nearly 15 years of criminal trial work.

If you are under investigation or facing federal money laundering charges, an experienced defense lawyer can help you respond before the government seizes assets or seeks an indictment. Our federal money laundering lawyer at StechLaw Criminal Defense has defended clients against financial crime allegations in federal court for nearly 15 years. Ben Stechschulte is a former prosecutor who is board certified in criminal trial law by The Florida Bar. We offer a free and confidential consultation to review the allegations and explain your options.

Federal Money Laundering Lawyer

Money laundering involves a financial transaction meant to conceal or disguise the source of money that came from an underlying crime, to promote that crime, or to avoid federal reporting requirements. The underlying offense can be almost anything that generates proceeds, including health care fraud, wire fraud, or drug trafficking. Many people are surprised to learn they can be charged with money laundering even when they are not accused of committing that underlying offense.

These cases are document heavy and often international in scope. They are investigated by agencies such as the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation, and they are prosecuted by the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, known as MLARS, together with local United States Attorneys. Bank records, wire transfers, and cryptocurrency transactions usually form the backbone of the government’s proof. Because the government can move to seize funds early, sometimes before any charge is filed, involving counsel quickly can matter as much to your finances as to the case itself.

Types of Federal Money Laundering Cases We Handle

Money laundering is charged under several federal statutes, and the method alleged shapes the evidence and the potential exposure. We represent individuals and business owners accused of moving or concealing funds at every stage of a case. The categories below reflect the allegations we see most often in federal court.

Structuring. These cases allege that a person broke cash deposits or withdrawals into smaller amounts to stay under federal reporting thresholds. The government treats the pattern of transactions itself as evidence of intent.
Shell company layering. This involves moving funds through one or more companies with no real operations to obscure where the money came from. Prosecutors trace the transfers through corporate filings and bank records.
Trade based laundering. This category alleges the use of over or under invoicing on goods and shipments to move value across borders. Shipping documents, customs filings, and pricing comparisons are central to these cases.
Cash intensive businesses. These allegations involve using a restaurant, salon, or similar business to mix illegal proceeds with legitimate receipts. The dispute frequently centers on whether reported income matches the business activity.
Real estate transactions. This involves buying property with criminal proceeds, sometimes through nominees, to convert cash into an asset that appears legitimate. Closing documents and the source of funds are central to these cases, and title records often show how a purchase was structured.
Cryptocurrency and digital assets. This category involves moving proceeds through digital wallets, exchanges, or mixing services to break the chain of custody. Blockchain analysis is now a routine part of the government’s investigation.
Funnel accounts and money mules. These cases allege that individuals allowed their accounts to receive and forward funds for others. Many defendants in this category say they did not know the money was criminal.

Why Choose StechLaw Criminal Defense as my Federal Money Laundering Lawyer?

Financial Crime Defense Experience

For nearly 15 years, Ben Stechschulte, has defended clients against financial crime allegations in the Tampa Bay area. He served as a Hillsborough County prosecutor before opening the firm, so we know how the government traces funds and builds a laundering theory around a predicate offense. Ben earned his law degree from Stetson University College of Law and is board certified in criminal trial law by The Florida Bar, a credential few attorneys in the state hold. That background shapes how we approach the financial analysis at the center of these cases. Super Lawyers named him a Rising Star in 2015.

A Practice Prepared for Asset Forfeiture

Money laundering cases often arrive with a parallel effort to seize bank accounts, property, and other assets. Our track record in criminal matters includes dismissals, reduced charges, and acquittals. We defend these cases as part of our federal fraud defense practice and our broader federal criminal defense work, so the defense to the charges and the response to any forfeiture move forward together.

What Is Important To Understand About Federal Money Laundering Cases?

Charges, Penalties, and Defense Strategies for Federal Money Laundering Cases

Federal prosecutors often pair a money laundering count with the underlying offense and with conspiracy, which raises the stakes at both trial and sentencing. A related charge of structuring can be filed even when the cash itself was earned lawfully, based only on how it was deposited. Prosecutors also use money laundering counts to lengthen a possible sentence and to justify seizing a wider range of assets.

Prison and financial penalties. A conviction can bring substantial prison time, heavy fines, and orders of restitution tied to the funds involved.
Asset forfeiture. The government routinely pursues civil and criminal asset forfeiture, which can reach homes, vehicles, and accounts before a trial ever begins, and recovering seized property can require a separate fight of its own.
Knowledge and intent. Many cases depend on whether the defendant knew the money came from an unlawful source, and a genuine lack of knowledge is a defense. The government’s assumptions about what a person must have known are open to challenge, especially where the funds passed through many hands.
Tracing challenges. When legitimate and disputed funds are mixed, the defense examines how the government traced the money and whether its accounting holds up.
The predicate offense. Because a laundering charge depends on an underlying crime, weaknesses in that predicate can undermine the entire case.

Federal money laundering charges generally carry a five-year statute of limitations.

What Are Important Aspects of a Federal Money Laundering Case?

Several issues tend to decide how a money laundering case unfolds, and each deserves early attention.

The strength of the predicate offense often determines whether the laundering charge can stand at all.
Proof of the defendant’s knowledge is usually built from patterns and documents rather than direct evidence.
The tracing analysis, meaning how the government connects specific funds to a crime, is frequently open to challenge.
The scope of any forfeiture can reach assets the client needs for daily life and for the defense itself.
The timing of counsel matters, because early work can influence charging decisions and protect assets.

What Is The Federal Money Laundering Case Timeline?

Federal financial cases move slowly and deliberately, and most money laundering matters pass through similar stages.

Investigations frequently begin with suspicious activity reports that banks file, along with subpoenas for account records.
Many clients first realize they are under federal investigation when agents make contact or a seizure occurs.
The government may issue a target letter before a grand jury considers an indictment.
During pretrial litigation, the defense reviews the financial analysis and can challenge the search, the tracing, or the forfeiture.
The case resolves through dismissal, a negotiated plea, or trial, with sentencing and any final forfeiture to follow a conviction.

What Should You Bring to Your Federal Money Laundering Consultation?

Bringing the right financial records helps us evaluate both the charges and any threat to your assets.

Any subpoena, seizure notice, target letter, or charging document you have received.
Bank statements, wire records, and account information for the transactions at issue.
Records for any business, entity, or property connected to the funds.
Correspondence with banks, accountants, or the government about the accounts.

During the consultation, we will review these records, explain the exposure, and outline the steps to protect your position. The meeting is free and confidential.

What Are Important Florida Legal Resources for Federal Money Laundering Cases?

Federal money laundering enforcement is spread across several agencies, and the resources below explain how these cases work and where to find reliable information. They are general references and do not replace advice about your situation.

FinCEN administers the reporting rules that create much of the financial record trail used in these cases.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigates money laundering and traces funds alongside other federal agencies.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida prosecutes federal cases in the district and reports its charges and convictions.

Reach Out to StechLaw Criminal Defense to Schedule a Consultation

If you are under investigation or facing federal money laundering charges, we are ready to review the allegations and protect your assets and your rights. The initial consultation is free and confidential. Contact us to arrange a time to speak with a defense attorney who understands how these cases are traced, charged, and defended. We handle federal cases across the Middle District of Florida.