Money Laundering — Elements of the Offense (18 U.S.C. Sec.1956(a)(1)) (revised 2017) is a federal law that prohibits the intentional and knowing conduct of financial transactions that involve the proceeds of certain specified unlawful activities, with the intent to either promote or conceal the proceeds of the crime. Money laundering is a three-step process that involves the placement, layering, and integration of the proceeds of specified unlawful activity. The three elements of Money Laundering — Elements of the Offense (18 U.S.C. Sec.1956(a)(1)) (revised 2017) are: 1. Placement: The first step in the process of laundering money is to place the proceeds of the specified unlawful activity into a financial system (such as a bank or other financial institution). 2. Layering: The second step is to use the proceeds of the specified unlawful activity to purchase additional investments or assets, which are then moved or layered amongst various financial institutions or accounts, to conceal the source and ownership of the funds. 3. Integration: The final step is to use the layered funds to purchase assets that are integrated into the legitimate financial system. This process is designed to conceal the source and ownership of the funds. There are two types of Money Laundering — Elements of the Offense (18 U.S.C. Sec.1956(a)(1)) (revised 2017). The first type is known as the “transactional” money laundering offense, which involves the use of the proceeds of the specified unlawful activity to promote or further the offense. The second type is known as the “structuring” money laundering offense, which involves the structuring of financial transactions to evade reporting requirements.