front companies
Businesses hiding owners
Front companies are businesses that appear legitimate but exist primarily to conceal the activities or ownership of another entity.
They provide cover for illegal operations like money laundering, sanctions evasion, or intelligence work: The cartel moved cash through a network of front companies.
A front company may conduct some real business while its main purpose remains hidden.
Disguising criminal proceeds' origins
- drug traffickingIllegal distribution of controlled substances
- cartelPrice-fixing coalition
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
- syndicateCombined group pursuing shared interest
smuggling · racketeering · organized crime · dirty money · proceeds of crime · black market · money mules · structuring
Zero-rate wealth jurisdiction
- offshore accountsBank deposits in other countries
- shell corporationLegally registered but inactive business
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- loopholesExploitable ambiguities in rules
tax shelter · unreported income · tax fraud · noncompliance · hidden assets · opacity · undisclosed · grey market
Unknown identity state
- secrecyPractice of hiding information
- untraceableImpossible to follow back
- obscuredMade hard to perceive
- opaqueImpassable to light
disguised · veiled · masked · undisclosed · confidential · private · silent partner · obfuscation
Government surveillance and espionage organizations
- covert operationsSecret military or intelligence activities
- spiesSecret intelligence gatherers
- agentsThose who act for others
- molesBurrowing insectivore mammals
tradecraft · clandestine · undercover · counterintelligence · sleeper cells · black ops · Air America · dead drops
Legally registered but inactive business
- subsidiaryOf lesser importance
- corporate veilLegal separation of entity from owners
- registered agentEntity's official legal contact
- corporate structureCompany's internal arrangement
legal entity · incorporation · business registration · empty vessel · storefront
money laundering
Disguising criminal proceeds' origins
- drug traffickingIllegal distribution of controlled substances
- cartelPrice-fixing coalition
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
syndicate · smuggling · racketeering · organized crime · dirty money · proceeds of crime · black market · money mules · structuring · kickbacks
tax haven
Zero-rate wealth jurisdiction
- offshore accountsBank deposits in other countries
- shell corporationLegally registered but inactive business
- concealmentAct of hiding something
loopholes · tax shelter · unreported income · tax fraud · noncompliance · hidden assets · opacity · undisclosed · grey market · evasion
anonymity
Unknown identity state
- secrecyPractice of hiding information
- untraceableImpossible to follow back
- obscuredMade hard to perceive
opaque · disguised · veiled · masked · undisclosed · confidential · private · silent partner · obfuscation · shadow
intelligence agencies
Government surveillance and espionage organizations
- covert operationsSecret military or intelligence activities
- spiesSecret intelligence gatherers
- agentsThose who act for others
moles · tradecraft · clandestine · undercover · counterintelligence · sleeper cells · black ops · Air America · dead drops · double agents
shell corporation
Legally registered but inactive business
- subsidiaryOf lesser importance
- corporate veilLegal separation of entity from owners
- registered agentEntity's official legal contact
corporate structure · legal entity · incorporation · business registration · empty vessel · storefront
- covert operationsundercover agents, covert ops, stings, infiltration, deep cover
- financial fraudsecurities fraud, bank fraud, accounting fraud, defalcation, embezzler
- tax crimestax fraud, tax evasion, undeclared income, unreported income, hidden income
- LaunderingAML, money laundering, dirty money, black money, placement
- Yakuzayakuza, full body tattoo, sworn brotherhood, syndicate, syndicate boss
- espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying