Consulting money laundering: Single Romanian convicted!

Consulting money laundering: Single Romanian convicted!

Bregenz, Österreich - On May 19, 2025, the regional court of Feldkirch condemned a 33-year-old Romanian for a conditional prison sentence of eight months for money laundering. The defendant, who was previously unsolicited and lived as a single educator, had transferred 350 euros to a third party. This sum came from a gold robbery in Vorarlberg, which the Romanian denied. In addition, she was accused of being as lubricant in several burglaries and was involved in the conversion of stolen gold and jewelry in Bregenz.

In the negotiation, doubts about the credibility of the defendants' statements were loud. Judge Dietmar Nussbaumer expressed concerns, especially that the transfer of the 350 euros was only made one day after the gold sale. The accused claimed that she had lent the money to a stranger, which the judge also questioned. In conclusion, he informed the accused of being more careful when choosing a partner in the future. Three other men, including their friend, were also legally condemned in connection with the criminal activities.

background and money laundering as a social problem

The Bafin (Federal Financial Service Supervisory Authority) deals intensively with the problem of money laundering. In 2020, over 5 billion euros were transferred via the kiosks, call shops and travel agencies, with a significant part of the money from criminal activities. These companies are referred to as agents in the financial transfer business and belong to a heterogeneous group of around 5,200 non -banks that are monitored by BaFin.

In order to prevent money laundering, BaFin controls whether these agents and leasing institutions take appropriate measures. In 2020, around 14.3 million transactions about agents took place, which are very popular with money launderers due to the acceptance of cash and the possibility of making transfers without comprehensible account connections. Bafin has been examining these agents since 2011, with numerous progress being recorded in the implementation of monetary laundry standards.

regulatory measures and challenges

Bafin also carries out special exams to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. In 2022, 48 special money laundering tests and 66 exams were already carried out in 2023. The number of exams will continue to increase in the future to meet the increased challenges in the field of money laundering prevention.

In these exams, the money laundering officer plays a crucial role, which must recognize conspicuous payment currents and business models at an early stage. However, there were more frequent work residues in the processing of suspected cases, and it often struggles to seriously implement compliance culture in the companies. BAFIN emphasizes that the quality and completeness controls of relevant data for monitoring are inadequate in many cases, which affects the efficiency of the money laundering control.

The present situation makes it clear that despite certain progress in the area of ​​money laundering prevention, there is still a considerable need for improvement. A detailed risk analysis of companies to evaluate the specific risks of money laundering is essential for further success.

The events around the Romanian accused culminate in a comprehensive German problem area, which is characterized by diverse criminal activities and regulatory challenges. In the future, it will be crucial to strengthen both preventive measures and legal framework conditions in order to effectively combat money laundering.

For more information on the legal aspects of money laundering and the work of Bafin, see Krone, Bafin and and IT-Finanzmagazin.