The role played by legal professionals in the laundering of criminal
proceeds generated by others has become a priority concern for
authorities at national and international levels. This ground-breaking
book presents an in-depth empirical analysis of the nature of lawyers'
involvement in the facilitation of money laundering and its control
through criminal justice and regulatory mechanisms. It is based on
qualitative research combining analysis of cases of lawyers convicted of
money laundering offences with interviews with criminal justice
practitioners, members of professional and regulatory bodies and
practising solicitors, and analysis of relevant national and
international legislative and regulatory frameworks.
The book demonstrates the complex and diverse nature of lawyers'
involvement in laundering activity, and shows that their actions and the
decisions they take must be understood in relation to the specific
situational contexts in which they occur. It provides significant new
insights into the criminal justice and regulatory response to
professional facilitation of money laundering in the UK, raising
questions about the effectiveness and appropriateness of the response
and the challenges involved. The book develops a framework for future
research and analysis in this area, and proposes a range of potential
strategies for controlling the facilitation of money laundering.
Lawyers and the Proceeds of Crime is essential reading for those
researching money laundering, white-collar crime or organised crime, and
for practitioners and policy makers concerned with preventing the
facilitation of money laundering.