Geldwäsche (Eng: Money laundering) refers to the process of concealing the proceeds of illegal activities, such as fraud, drug trafficking, and corruption, by making it appear as though the money has been acquired legally.

This process involves a series of complex transactions that aim to obscure the origin of the funds and make it difficult for law enforcement agencies to track them. In Germany, Geldwäsche is a criminal offense that is punishable by imprisonment for up to ten years. The country has put in place various measures, including the Geldwäschebekämpfungsgesetz (GwG), to prevent and combat money laundering activities. Money laundering typically involves three stages: placement, layering, and integration. During the placement stage, the illicit funds are introduced into the financial system, typically through small or multiple deposit transactions to avoid detection. In the layering stage, the funds are moved between different accounts and financial institutions, both domestic and foreign, to create a complex trail of transactions that is difficult to follow. Finally, in the integration stage, the funds are reintroduced into the economy as legitimate income, such as through investment in real estate or businesses. To prevent money laundering, financial institutions are required to implement a range of anti-money laundering (AML) measures. These include customer identification and verification, monitoring of transactions for suspicious activities, reporting of suspicious transactions to law enforcement, and conducting due diligence on high-risk customers and business relationships. In conclusion, Geldwäsche is a serious crime that poses a significant threat to the integrity of the financial system. Effective measures, including legislation, regulatory compliance, and AML requirements, are necessary to prevent and combat money laundering.