Money laundering, the act of concealing money earned through unlawful activities, is a serious crime that is often prosecuted harshly by the federal and state governments.

If you have been accused of money laundering or other white collar offenses in Miami Dade, the first action step to take is to seek qualified legal counsel immediately.

Find the right attorney

As stated previously, before you consider any other action in your defense, find an attorney who is an expert in money laundering cases and has experience in defending clients against charges.  This is not the time to depend on public defenders or well-meaning advice from friends and family.  It is time to understand exactly what you are up against, what is at stake and any and all recourse you have throughout the entire court proceeding.

Stop talking

This is the time to shut down all discussion about the events that led to the charges completely.  Even well-meaning conversations on social media can be used against you, as it does not fall into the employee/client privilege.  Your best defense right now is to remain silent about your case unless you are discussing it with your legal team.  In its pursuit of your conviction, the government will use any weapon it can get its hands on, including innocuous Facebook posts and Twitter messages.

Build your case

Despite not having a legal degree, you can play a huge part in your own defense.  Now is the time to gather any and all evidence you can get your hands on and to turn it over to your legal team.  Scour through messages, records and transactions and compile any and everything you think will come into play in your court proceedings and turn them over to your attorney.