Understanding Federal Money Laundering Charges Federal money laundering charges are among the most complex and consequence-laden prosecutions brought in the Central District of California, arising under 18 U.S.C. § 1956 and § 1957 and targeting a broad range of financial transactions that the government alleges were designed to conceal the proceeds of specified unlawful activity or to promote the continuation of criminal enterprises. Los Angeles residents facing federal money laundering charges confront potential sentences of up to twenty years in federal prison per count, substantial asset forfeiture exposure, and the permanent reputational consequences of a federal financial crimes conviction that can permanently destroy careers built over a lifetime of legitimate…