illicit funds
Illegally obtained wealth
Money obtained through illegal means or held in violation of law.
Illicit funds typically come from criminal enterprises—drug trafficking, fraud, bribery, tax evasion—and must be laundered to appear legitimate.
The investigation traced illicit funds through a network of shell companies.
The phrase appears frequently in legal and financial contexts discussing money laundering and organized crime.
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- shell companiesLegally registered but inactive businesses
- front companyBusiness concealing illicit operations
- money launderingDisguising criminal proceeds' origins
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
offshore accounts · numbered account · embezzlement · economic instability · counterfeiting · smurfing · wire transfer · cash smuggling · paper trail · follow the money · layering · forensic accounting · extortion · drug trafficking · tax evasion · corruption · dark money · arms smuggling
- dirty moneydirty money, ill-gotten gains, proceeds of crime, filthy lucre, black money
- financial crimesbank fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud, tax fraud, insurance fraud
- hidden moneyhidden assets, hidden wealth, hidden income, secret stash, cash stash