Transactions involving substantial sums of cash, often more than $10,000, are required by federal law to be reported to the government. The actual transfer of funds into or out of the United States is subject to this reporting requirement.
You may be charged with the federal offense of bulk cash smuggling if you attempt to get around this reporting requirement by hiding cash or a cash equivalent when crossing a border into the United States. You could spend up to five years in federal prison if you are found guilty of this offense. The good news is that there is a federal criminal defense attorney who can help you. Keep reading to learn more and then contact Chambers Law Firm at 714-760-4088 for a free legal consutlation.
Bulk Cash Smuggling into Or Out of The United States Is Prohibited
Smuggling large sums of money is frequently linked to drug trafficking or organized crime. An effort to avoid reporting requirements and detection by law enforcement and financial authorities is at the center of many claims of bulk cash smuggling. Large-scale cash smuggling is a reportable infraction under the Bank Secrecy Act.
Defense Options to Charges of Smuggling Bulk Cash into the United States
Using a few standard tactics, a federal criminal defense attorney can refute an allegation of bulk cash smuggling. We might argue that the amount of money was less than $10,000. This law’s goal is to track larger dollar-value transactions, such as those that are probably connected to criminal activities, rather than all money coming into and going out of the country.
If the value of the currency you are carrying is less than $10,000, it does not meet the federal reporting requirement and is not illegal.
We might be able to make the case that you didn’t intend to try to smuggle money. For instance, someone might have secretly placed the “monetary instrument” in your luggage in an effort to employ you as an unwary “mule” to transport money into or out of the United States. You are not guilty if you didn’t try to hide the money or move it deliberately.
We might argue that you weren’t aware of the need to report. Prosecutors must be able to show you intentionally concealed the currency in order to be found guilty under this provision. You shouldn’t be found guilty of this offense if you didn’t know you needed to report it and were hiding it merely to keep it safe.
If you are facing any type of federal charge, contact Chambers Law Firm at 714-760-4088 for a free legal consultation.
