How do criminals launder money?

What is money laundering used for? How does it work? What are also the means of struggle? Explanations of the processes with Louis Colart, journalist at the Enquête du Soir division and Michaël Dantinne, professor of criminology at ULiège, The guests of the Keys.

If the current investigation into Didier Reynders has exposed money laundering through games of chance and sports betting, this technique is uncommon. In Belgium, other techniques are used more to launder money.

What you need to understand is that money laundering is about finding a balance between having your income monitored and getting caught. Indeed, the more controls a criminal’s money passes through, the more legal it becomes. At the same time, with each check, this criminal takes the risk of being caught in the act. “Pparadoxically, laundering money requires going through controls. In the hairdressing salon, it’s corporate tax, business creation, salaries, dividends. In real estate, it is the notary who will process the sale and purchase. And then the bank which will lend to the buyer in good faith. In reality, the more anti-money laundering controls we pass, the more we launder, but obviously the more risks we take..” explains Michaël Dantinne.