TY - JOUR

T1 - Factors influencing the choice of technique to launder funds: The APPT framework

AU - Tiwari, Milind

AU - Ferrill, Jamie

AU - Gepp, Adrian

AU - Kumar, Kuldeep

PY - 2023/9

Y1 - 2023/9

N2 - This paper proposes a new framework to provide insights into the techniques launderers adopt to clean illicit funds, drawing on existing literature and theories including rational choice, public value, structural coupling, and stakeholder. The proposed APPT framework is named after four factors that explain the choice of techniques: the Actors involved, Predicate crime, the Purpose of laundering, and Technological innovations. While the current literature on money laundering primarily directs attention toward aspects such as regulatory frameworks, the stages of money laundering, and ways of detecting it, there is a lack of understanding about the reasons underlying a launderer’s choice of techniques. This paper endeavors to reduce this gap in the literature and contribute to understanding the motivation of money launderers for the benefit of investigations. The framework offers new insights for the money laundering literature and has implications for neophytes, practitioners, and institutions teaching financial crime.

AB - This paper proposes a new framework to provide insights into the techniques launderers adopt to clean illicit funds, drawing on existing literature and theories including rational choice, public value, structural coupling, and stakeholder. The proposed APPT framework is named after four factors that explain the choice of techniques: the Actors involved, Predicate crime, the Purpose of laundering, and Technological innovations. While the current literature on money laundering primarily directs attention toward aspects such as regulatory frameworks, the stages of money laundering, and ways of detecting it, there is a lack of understanding about the reasons underlying a launderer’s choice of techniques. This paper endeavors to reduce this gap in the literature and contribute to understanding the motivation of money launderers for the benefit of investigations. The framework offers new insights for the money laundering literature and has implications for neophytes, practitioners, and institutions teaching financial crime.

KW - Financial crime

KW - Money laundering

KW - Money laundering typologies

KW - Rational choice theory

KW - Framework

U2 - 10.1016/j.jeconc.2023.100006

DO - 10.1016/j.jeconc.2023.100006

M3 - Article

VL - 1

JO - Journal of Economic Criminology

JF - Journal of Economic Criminology

SN - 2949-7914

M1 - 100006

ER -