Pénzmosásnak

Pénzmosásnak, a Hungarian term, translates to "money laundering" in English. It refers to the illegal process of making large amounts of money generated by criminal activity appear to have come from a legitimate source. This is done to disguise the origins of the funds and avoid detection by law enforcement.

The process typically involves three stages: placement, layering, and integration. Placement is the initial entry of "dirty" money into the financial system. This can involve depositing cash into bank accounts, purchasing assets like real estate or luxury goods, or converting it into other currencies. Layering involves a series of complex financial transactions designed to obscure the audit trail and make it difficult to trace the money back to its illegal source. This might include transferring funds between multiple accounts, often in different countries, or using shell corporations. Integration is the final stage where the laundered money is reintroduced into the legitimate economy, making it appear as normal business earnings or investments.

Governments worldwide have implemented various laws and regulations to combat money laundering. These measures include Know Your Customer (KYC) policies, anti-money laundering (AML) reporting requirements for financial institutions, and international cooperation to share information and track illicit financial flows. Penalties for money laundering are severe, often including significant fines and lengthy prison sentences. The international community recognizes money laundering as a serious crime that fuels other criminal enterprises, such as drug trafficking, terrorism, and corruption, and actively works to disrupt these activities.