For those of you thinking of sending bitcoin overseas to avoid taxes, beware the government is being aggressive in their sentencing and can go back
without limit.
1. International Money LaunderingStatutory Maximums: Under 18 U.S.C. § 1956, money laundering carries up to 20 years per count. Multiple counts or transactions can be stacked.
Federal Sentencing Guidelines (U.S.S.G. § 2S1.1): In federal white-collar cases, sentences are heavily driven by the financial loss/laundered amount:
Laundering tens of millions of dollars (e.g., $25M–$65M) adds +22 levels under the fraud loss table (§ 2B1.1).
An international transaction enhancement adds another +2 levels (§ 2S1.1(b)(2)(B)).
Sophisticated laundering operations often trigger additional enhancements for role in the offense, yielding an adjusted offense level in the mid-to-high 30s.
Sentencing Range:
For a first-time offender, this often translates to 15 to 20+ years (180–290+ months) in federal prison.2. Destruction of EvidenceStatutory Maximums: Charged as federal obstruction of justice (e.g., 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) or § 1519), carrying a statutory maximum of up to 20 years.
Cross-Reference in Sentencing (U.S.S.G. § 2J1.2(c)(1)): If evidence is destroyed to obstruct a criminal investigation or trial, the guidelines cross-reference the underlying crime as an accessory after the fact (§ 2X3.1).
Under federal law, no limitation is placed on the information concerning the background, character, and conduct of a person that a sentencing court may receive and consider (18 U.S.C. § 3661).
