---
title: "Money Laundering Defense"
url: "https://legal.ge/en/service/crim-criminal-law-en/money-laundering-defense-en"
field: "Criminal Law"
description: "Money laundering: composition, punishments, large and especially large thresholds and defence Legal.ge."
reviewed: "2026-07-09"
updated: "2026-10-14"
publisher: "legal.ge"
---

# Money Laundering Defense

> Source: legal.ge, https://legal.ge/en/service/crim-criminal-law-en/money-laundering-defense-en

## The Composition of Money Laundering

Criminal legislation establishes liability in a separate norm for the legalisation of unlawful income, known as money laundering. It is the giving of a lawful appearance to unlawful or unsubstantiated property — the use, acquisition, possession, conversion, transfer of the property or another act — for the purpose of concealing its unlawful or unsubstantiated origin and/or assisting another person in evading responsibility, as well as the hiding or disguising of its true nature, source of origin, location, placement, movement, ownership or other rights connected with it. The crime thus lies not in receiving the funds but in covering them — in concealing the source — and the defence builds its position precisely on this distinction, examining whether the elements of concealment are proven in the concrete case.

The full text is available on legal.ge after signing in: https://legal.ge/en/service/crim-criminal-law-en/money-laundering-defense-en

### What is money laundering?

Giving a lawful appearance to unlawful or unsubstantiated property for the purpose of concealing its origin — this circle of acts forms the composition of the crime, not the fact of receiving the funds in itself.

### What is the difference between unlawful and unsubstantiated property?

Unlawful property has been obtained in violation of the requirements of the law, while unsubstantiated property is distinguished by the absence of documents confirming lawful acquisition; both categories are within the scope of the norm.

### Why is the calculation of the amount important?

Because the thresholds of large and especially large amounts change the qualification and stiffen the punishment frame — verifying the method of calculation is a mandatory step of the defence.

### When should a lawyer be involved?

At the very first stage of the investigation, before interrogations and measures are conducted. Early involvement avoids procedural errors and shapes the position.