Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: constitutional law
Term: SMURF
Definition: A smurf is someone who helps bad people hide their money by putting small amounts of it in many different banks. They do this so that no one bank has to report the money to the government. The name comes from a cartoon character from a long time ago.
Definition: A smurf is a person who helps launder money by making multiple transactions of less than $10,000 at different banks to avoid federal reporting requirements. The term comes from a cartoon character from the 1980s.
Example: John is a smurf who helps his boss launder money by making small transactions at different banks. He does this to avoid detection by the authorities.
Explanation: In this example, John is participating in a money-laundering operation by making transactions of less than $10,000 at different banks. By doing this, he is helping his boss avoid detection by the authorities. This is a common tactic used by criminals to launder money and avoid getting caught.