New Jersey Statutes

N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25 (2026)

Money laundering, illegal investment, crime

✓ current as of May 2026

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3. A person is guilty of a crime if the person:

a. transports or possesses property known or which a reasonable person would believe to be derived from criminal activity; or

b. engages in a transaction involving property known or which a reasonable person would believe to be derived from criminal activity

(1) with the intent to facilitate or promote the criminal activity; or

(2) knowing that the transaction is designed in whole or in part:

(a) to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership or control of the property derived from criminal activity; or

(b) to avoid a transaction reporting requirement under the laws of this State or any other state or of the United States; or

c. directs, organizes, finances, plans, manages, supervises, or controls the transportation of or transactions in property known or which a reasonable person would believe to be derived from criminal activity.

d. For the purposes of this act, property is known to be derived from criminal activity if the person knows that the property involved represents proceeds from some form, though not necessarily which form, of criminal activity. Among the factors that the finder of fact may consider in determining that a transaction has been designed to avoid a transaction reporting requirement shall be whether the person, acting alone or with others, conducted one or more transactions in currency, in any amount, at one or more financial institutions, on one or more days, in any manner. The phrase "in any manner" includes the breaking down of a single sum of currency exceeding the transaction reporting requirement into smaller sums, including sums at or below the transaction reporting requirement, or the conduct of a transaction, or series of currency transactions, including transactions at or below the transaction reporting requirement. The transaction or transactions need not exceed the transaction reporting threshold at any single financial institution on any single day in order to demonstrate a violation of subparagraph (b) of paragraph (2) of subsection b. of this section.

e. A person is guilty of a crime if, with the purpose to evade a transaction reporting requirement of this State or of 31 U.S.C. s.5311 et seq. or 31 C.F.R. s.103 et seq., or any rules or regulations adopted under those chapters and sections, he:

(1) causes or attempts to cause a financial institution, including a foreign or domestic money transmitter or an authorized delegate thereof, casino, check casher, person engaged in a trade or business or any other individual or entity required by State or federal law to file a report regarding currency transactions or suspicious transactions to fail to file a report; or

(2) causes or attempts to cause a financial institution, including a foreign or domestic money transmitter or an authorized delegate thereof, casino, check casher, person engaged in a trade or business or any other individual or entity required by State or federal law to file a report regarding currency transactions or suspicious transactions to file a report that contains a material omission or misstatement of fact; or

(3) structures or assists in structuring, or attempts to structure or assist in structuring any transaction with one or more financial institutions, including foreign or domestic money transmitters or an authorized delegate thereof, casinos, check cashers, persons engaged in a trade or business or any other individuals or entities required by State or federal law to file a report regarding currency transactions or suspicious transactions. "Structure" or "structuring" means that a person, acting alone, or in conjunction with, or on behalf of, other persons, conducts or attempts to conduct one or more transactions in currency, in any amount, at one or more financial institutions, on one or more days, in any manner, for the purpose of evading currency transaction reporting requirements provided by State or federal law. "In any manner" includes, but is not limited to, the breaking down into smaller sums of a single sum of currency meeting or exceeding that which is necessary to trigger a currency reporting requirement or the conduct of a transaction, or series of currency transactions, at or below the reporting requirement. The transaction or transactions need not exceed the reporting threshold at any single financial institution on any single day in order to meet the definition of "structure" or "structuring" provided in this paragraph.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 80 cases (43 in the last 5 years), 2004–2026 · leading case: State v. Harris, 861 A.2d 165 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2004).

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State v. Harris, 861 A.2d 165 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2004). · cites it 2× “The crime is defined in section 2C:21-25. It punishes any possession of property known to be derived from criminal activity.”

Amaya v. New Jersey, 766 F. Supp. 2d 533 (D.N.J. 2011). · cites it 3× “Kress brings this declaratory judgment action *535 seeking to enjoin enforcement of the New Jersey money laundering statutes, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25(a) and N.J.S.A. 2C:21-26 (the “Statutes”) on the grounds that (1) the Statutes are unconstitutionally vague and overbroad, (2) they…”

State of New Jersey v. Amboy Nat'l Bank Account, 146 A.3d 188 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2016). “2C:2-6; and first-degree financial facilitation of a crime, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25 and N.J.S.A. 2C:2-6. A motion to dismiss the indictment was denied in February 2012.”

Richard Kress v. State of Nj, 455 F. App'x 266 (3rd Cir. 2011). · cites it 3× “1-10 (collectively, “New Jersey”) seeking to enjoin enforcement of the New Jersey money laundering statute, N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 2C:21-25(a) and 2C:21-26 (2005) (“the Statute”).”

State v. Bernardi, 192 A.3d 1040 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2018). “2C:20-4(a) (count two); first-degree financial facilitation of criminal activity, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25(b)(2)(a) (count three); second-degree theft by deception from Sussex, 2 N.”

State of New Jersey v. A.L., 114 A.3d 365 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2015). “The defendant had been indicted on a number of offenses, including first-degree money laundering, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25; first-degree racketeering, N.”

United States v. Santos, 553 U.S. 507 (2008). · cites it 2× “…enterprise's growth. See, e.g., 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 (a)(1)(A)(i), (a)(2)(A), and (a)(3)(A); Model Act §§ 5(a)(2), (4); N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:21-25(b)(1); Tex. Penal Code §§ 34.02(a)(3)(4). Both of these objectives are frustrated if a money laundering statute is limited to…”

State of New Jersey Vs. Ian W. Marias (18-12-3840, Essex Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020). · cites it 12× “2C:21-25(a) criminalizes the possession or transportation of property that a reasonable person would believe to be derived from criminal activity.”

State of New Jersey v. George E. Norcross, III (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2026). · cites it 10× “2C:20-5; (3) financial facilitation of criminal activity, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25; (4) misconduct by corporate official, N.”

State of New Jersey Vs. Neit N. Figuereo- Rodriguez State of New Jersey Vs. Jean C. Gonzalez-rosario (15-05-0613, Middlesex Cnty. & Statewide) (Consol.) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020). · cites it 8× “2C:21-23 (2020) (explaining N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25 "punishes any possession of property known to be derived from criminal activity").”

State of New Jersey v. Steven H. Salami (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2023). · cites it 8× “N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25 provides in pertinent part that: A person is guilty of a crime if the person: a.”

State of New Jersey Vs. Marsha G. Bernard State of New Jersey Vs. Andrew Davis (14-01-0003, Camden Cnty. & Statewide) (Consol.) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020). · cites it 7× “2C:5-2, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25, and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5; first-degree distribution of cocaine, N.”

Show all 80 citing cases →

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(a) — 40 cases

Amaya v. New Jersey, 766 F. Supp. 2d 533 (D.N.J. 2011). “Kress brings this declaratory judgment action *535 seeking to enjoin enforcement of the New Jersey money laundering statutes, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25(a) and N.J.S.A. 2C:21-26 (the “Statutes”) on the grounds that (1) the Statutes are unconstitutionally vague and overbroad, (2) they…”

Richard Kress v. State of Nj, 455 F. App'x 266 (3rd Cir. 2011). “1-10 (collectively, “New Jersey”) seeking to enjoin enforcement of the New Jersey money laundering statute, N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 2C:21-25(a) and 2C:21-26 (2005) (“the Statute”).”

State of New Jersey Vs. Neit N. Figuereo- Rodriguez State of New Jersey Vs. Jean C. Gonzalez-rosario (15-05-0613, Middlesex Cnty. & Statewide) (Consol.) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020). “2C:21-23 (2020) (explaining N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25 "punishes any possession of property known to be derived from criminal activity").”

State of New Jersey v. Steven H. Salami (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2023). “N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25 provides in pertinent part that: A person is guilty of a crime if the person: a.”

State of New Jersey v. George E. Norcross, III (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2026). “2C:20-5; (3) financial facilitation of criminal activity, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25; (4) misconduct by corporate official, N.”

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(a)(b)(1) — 1 case

State of New Jersey Vs. Thomas Weir (14-04-0277, Passaic Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020).

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(b) — 4 cases

State of New Jersey Vs. Ian W. Marias (18-12-3840, Essex Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020). “2C:21-25(a) criminalizes the possession or transportation of property that a reasonable person would believe to be derived from criminal activity.”

State of New Jersey Vs. Tyquan Fuqua State of New Jersey Vs. Derek Fuqua State of New Jersey Vs. Chanell Virgil State of New Jersey Vs. Trevis Thomas (14-04-0026, Middlesex Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2021).

State of New Jersey Vs. Joseph J. Talafous (16-05-0072, Hudson Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020).

State of New Jersey Vs. Ling Zhou (18-08-0622, Cape May Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2021).

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(b)(1) — 5 cases

United States v. Santos, 553 U.S. 507 (2008). “…enterprise's growth. See, e.g., 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 (a)(1)(A)(i), (a)(2)(A), and (a)(3)(A); Model Act §§ 5(a)(2), (4); N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:21-25(b)(1); Tex. Penal Code §§ 34.02(a)(3)(4). Both of these objectives are frustrated if a money laundering statute is limited to…”

State of New Jersey Vs. Osher Eisemann (18-04-0059, Middlesex Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020).

State of New Jersey Vs. Keith Harris (14-10-1213, Mercer Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2018).

State of New Jersey Vs. Terry E. Dilligard II (12-03-0036 & 12-03-0067, Mercer Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020).

State of New Jersey Vs. Jeffrey D. Griffin, Jr. (15-12-0194, Passaic Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2021).

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(b)(2) — 2 cases

State of New Jersey Vs. Marsha G. Bernard State of New Jersey Vs. Andrew Davis (14-01-0003, Camden Cnty. & Statewide) (Consol.) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2020). “2C:5-2, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25, and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5; first-degree distribution of cocaine, N.”

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(b)(2)(A) — 1 case

State of New Jersey Vs. Ling Zhou (18-08-0622, Cape May Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2021).

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(b)(2)(a) — 9 cases

State of New Jersey Vs. Stephanie Hand (14-02-0007, Essex Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2019).

State of New Jersey Vs. Joseph J. Talafous, Jr.(16-05-0072, Hudson Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2017).

State of New Jersey v. Thomas Fagan (13-05-0098, Mercer Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2022).

State of New Jersey v. Wilson A. Pinos Rivera (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2024).

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(b)(2)(b) — 1 case

Roberts v. City of Newark (D.N.J. 2025).

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(c) — 5 cases

State of New Jersey Vs. Daniele G. Romeodisantillo (15-12-2378, Ocean Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2019).

State of New Jersey Vs. Jamie L. Lawson (17-10-1567, Ocean Cnty. & Statewide) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2019).

State of New Jersey Vs. Rehan Zuberi (13-08-0140 & 15-05-0453, Bergen & Morris Counties & Statewide) (Consol.) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2019).

State of New Jersey v. Ricardo Moise (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2024).

In the Matter of the Expungement of the Crim. Records of Sonia Harris (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2025).

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(d) — 2 cases

— N.J. Stat. § 2C:21-25(d)(3) — 1 case

State of New Jersey Vs. W.C. (fo-08-0264-20, Gloucester Cnty. & Statewide) (record Impounded) (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2021).

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