美国国会报告揭示：华人洗钱网络五年洗钱3120亿美元，成芬太尼危机关键推手

Core Viewpoint - The report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) highlights the significant threat posed by the "Certain Multinational Money Laundering Organizations/Networks" (CMLO/CMLN), which have laundered approximately $312 billion through U.S. financial institutions over the past five years, primarily serving as a laundering channel for profits from Mexican drug cartels involved in fentanyl trafficking [1][3]. Group 1: Definition and Nature - CMLO/CMLN refers to independent third-party money laundering networks characterized by specific cultural ties, operating globally with members from particular cultural backgrounds or those with familial connections [2]. Group 2: Scale and Trends - From 2020 to 2024, U.S. financial institutions submitted over 137,000 suspicious activity reports related to this money laundering network, involving a total transaction amount of approximately $312 billion, indicating its status as one of the largest multinational money laundering systems globally [3]. - The rapid expansion of this network is driven by two complementary demands: individuals seeking to transfer funds abroad due to capital control policies in their countries and transnational criminal organizations like Mexican drug cartels needing to launder large drug profits [3]. Group 3: Operational Model - The CMLO/CMLN employs various sophisticated and covert methods for money laundering, including: - Mirror Transactions: Cash obtained by drug cartels in the U.S. is deposited into bank accounts, while equivalent local currency is paid to the cartels in Mexico, circumventing traditional cross-border wire transfer monitoring [4]. - Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML): Illegal funds are used to purchase high-value goods, which are then exported for resale, thereby legitimizing the illicit proceeds [4]. - Use of Shell Companies and Underground Banking Systems: Shell companies are used to open bank accounts that obscure the true source and ownership of funds, with real estate and luxury goods being common methods for hiding money [4]. - Recruitment and Internal Penetration: Large-scale recruitment of individuals to open bank accounts and transfer funds, with some networks attempting to infiltrate financial institutions to facilitate laundering operations [4]. Group 4: Enforcement Actions - The report details several U.S. law enforcement actions that highlight the dangers posed by these networks: - "Operation Wealth Runner" (2024): A laundering network associated with the Sinaloa cartel laundered over $50 million through cash deliveries, luxury goods purchases, and cryptocurrency, resulting in 24 indictments [4]. - "Operation Take Back America" (2025): A laundering network used shell company accounts to launder $92 million, with a key suspect charged with laundering over $77 million related to fentanyl trafficking [4]. - TD Bank Case: An individual admitted involvement in a large money laundering conspiracy, leading to significant fines for the bank due to major deficiencies in anti-money laundering procedures [5]. Group 5: Policy Response - The U.S. government has employed various legal tools, including the Fentanyl Sanctions Act, to combat these networks and the financial institutions that facilitate them, with actions taken against three Mexican financial institutions linked to illegal opioid trafficking laundering activities [6].