Atlas · Money laundering prevention
The prison sentence for the crime of money laundering is 3 to 10 years
AnswerThe act of concealing or disguising the nature, origin, location, or ownership of assets derived from a criminal offense subjects the perpetrator to a prison sentence of 3 to 10 years, in addition to a fine.
Reviewed on 2026-10-02 · next review 2027-04-02
Data
| Who | Criteria | Consequence | Source | Data date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perpetrator | Concealing or disguising assets, rights, or values | Imprisonment of 3 to 10 years and fine | Lei 9.613/1998, art. 1º | 03/03/1998 (current wording) |
| Perpetrator of qualified crimes | Crime committed repeatedly, criminal organization, or virtual asset | Increase of sentence by 1/3 to 2/3 | Lei 9.613/1998, art. 1º, § 4º | 06/12/2022 (current wording) |
Data consulted on 02/10/2026.
Basis
- Lei n.º 9.613/1998 (Planalto, in Portuguese): provides for crimes of money laundering or concealment of assets, rights, and values, defining specific penalties and procedures.
How it applies
The conduct of concealing or disguising the origin of assets derived from any criminal offense constitutes a crime. The base sentence provided is imprisonment of 3 to 10 years, combined with a fine. The same penal rigor applies to anyone who converts these values into lawful assets, acquires them, moves them, or uses them in economic or financial activity, knowing their illicit origin. If the crime is committed repeatedly, through a criminal organization, or using virtual assets, there is an aggravation of the sanction, with an increase of 1/3 to 2/3 of the sentence.
Limits
- This fact sheet does not describe administrative sanctions or plea bargain rules.
- The sentence increase for the use of virtual assets was introduced by Lei 14.478/2022.
- The original wording of art. 1º has undergone changes by subsequent laws, such as Lei 12.683/2012.
- Subsequent legislative changes or new judicial interpretations must be mandatorily verified in the official source of the mentioned legislation before making any decision.