money-laundering
If all the money that comes in and out of my account are by means of cheques and credit cards, can I still commit money laundering?
<p>If I'm not mistaken, paper trail is proof of innocence.</p>

<p>You can be charged. The criminal act is defined <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1956" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> and <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1957" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>. A core defining feature of violation of The Money Laundering Control Act of 1986 is</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>knowing that the property involved in a financial transaction
  represents the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity, conducts or
  attempts to conduct such a financial transaction which in fact
  involves the proceeds of specified unlawful activity</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So if someone writes you a check funded by drug sales, then you have to worry about the reason for the check. Two of the reasons that will get you in trouble if the transaction is</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>(i) with the intent to promote the carrying on of specified unlawful
  activity; or (ii) with intent to engage in conduct constituting a
  violation of section 7201 or 7206 of the Internal Revenue Code of
  1986;</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Another reason would be </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>knowing that the transaction is designed in whole or in part— (i) to
  conceal or disguise the nature, the location, the source, the
  ownership, or the control of the proceeds of specified unlawful
  activity; or (ii) to avoid a transaction reporting requirement under
  State or Federal law</p>
</blockquote>

<p>A "paper trail" if proof of nothing, it just makes it easier to get caught. </p>
