With his second term in the Oval Office just over two months from ending, many in the legal community have had questions about whether President Obama would continue his heretofore remarkable efforts under his administration's clemency initiative, giving those...
Chicago Criminal Law Blog
What does it really mean to be accused of money laundering? – III
Over the last few weeks, our blog has been taking a closer look at money laundering, including the elements that must be proven by federal prosecutors in order to secure a conviction and an examination of what type of conduct falls within the ambit of this criminal...
What does it really mean to be accused of money laundering? – II
In the previous post, our blog began taking a closer look at money laundering, a criminal offense that despite being a fixture in popular crime dramas may not be entirely clear to the typical viewer. We'll continue these efforts in...
What does it really mean to be accused of money laundering?
There are certain criminal offenses that undoubtedly seem mystifying to the average person despite their prevalence in television, film and literature. Indeed, when critically acclaimed crime dramas use terms like RICO, embezzlement or money laundering, the typical...
Is drug-related evidence secured during a random bus search admissible?
You don't have to be a constitutional law scholar to know that law enforcement officials couldn't legally conduct a search of hundreds of homes in an attempt to uncover evidence of some suspected criminal activity. Indeed, as ridiculous as this premise may sound, it...
History made with over 770 commutations granted to nonviolent offenders
In a recent post, our blog discussed how President Obama made history back in August by granting 325 commutations to federal inmates convicted of nonviolent drug crimes, a truly remarkable figure representing the single largest number of sentence reductions ever...
Don’t underestimate the gravity of wire fraud charges – II
Last time, our blog began discussing how federal prosecutors frequently pursue wire fraud charges when they aren't confident in their odds of securing a conviction in a case alleging a more serious white collar crime owing to the fact that they're easier to prove and...
Don’t underestimate the gravity of wire fraud charges
While the enforcement priorities of the federal government can change based on everything from real world events to political pressures, there is at least one area in which the Department of Justice's resolve has never wavered: white collar crime.The true extent of...
Understanding how Illinois views bribery-related offenses
From Abraham Lincoln to Barack Obama, Illinois has long and proud political history. As rich as our state's political past is, however, it would perhaps be remiss to overlook the fact that it has had a few darker chapters, including two recent governors convicted on...
Illinois greatly increases penalties for gun trafficking
As any resident of the Chicagoland area is all too aware, the rate of gun violence in the city has reached truly staggering levels, leaving everyone from lawmakers to law enforcement officials desperately looking for answers.Interestingly enough, many believe that at...


