18 U.S.C. 1956
Section 1956 outlaws four kinds of laundering—promotional, concealment, structuring, and tax
evasion—committed or attempted under one or more of three jurisdictional conditions (i.e.,
laundering involving certain financial transactions, laundering involving international transfers,
and stings). More precisely, Section 1956(a)(1)15 outlaws financial transactions involving the
proceeds of other certain crimes—predicate offenses referred to as “specified unlawful activities”
(sometimes known as SUA)—committed or attempted (1) with the intent to promote further
predicate offenses; (2) with the intent to evade taxation; (3) knowing the transaction is designed
to conceal laundering of the proceeds; or (4) knowing the transaction is designed to avoid antilaundering
reporting requirements.
Section 1956(a)(2) outlaws the international transportation or transmission (or attempted
transportation or transmission) of funds (1) with the intent to promote a predicate offense; (2)
knowing that the purpose is to conceal laundering of the funds and knowing that the funds are the
proceeds of a predicate offense; or (3) knowing that the purpose is to avoid reporting
requirements and knowing that the funds are the proceeds of a predicate offense.
Section 1956(a)(3) is a sting section that covers undercover investigations. It outlaws financial
transactions (or attempted transactions) that the defendant believes involve the proceeds of a
predicate offense and that are intended to (1) promote a predicate offense, (2) conceal the source
or ownership of the proceeds, or (3) avoid reporting requirements.