Lavagem de dinheiro: da ocultação à legitimação – análise jurídico-penal das estratégias de prevenção e repressão no âmbito nacional e internacional

Abstract

Money laundering constitutes a sophisticated practice involving the concealment of the illicit origin of financial resources, compromising the integrity of economic and institutional systems on a global scale. It is linked to criminal activities such as drug trafficking, systemic corruption, and the financing of terrorist organizations, placing it within a transnational context that challenges legal and political boundaries and demands coordinated responses among states and multilateral organizations. This study aims to examine, from a legal-criminal perspective, the normative and institutional mechanisms aimed at repressing and preventing this phenomenon, highlighting the strategies adopted at both national and international levels. The methodology employed consisted of an exploratory bibliographic review, based on specialized doctrines, current legislation, and documents from international organizations, allowing the construction of a critical analysis grounded in different theoretical and practical approaches. It was observed that, despite advances in the formulation of legal instruments and the performance of regulatory entities, obstacles persist regarding criminal classification, evidentiary difficulties, and the resistance of certain jurisdictions to judicial and fiscal cooperation, aggravating the scenario of impunity and undermining the effectiveness of prescribed sanctions. It is concluded that combating money laundering requires not only legislative harmonization and the overcoming of technical and political barriers but also the restructuring of investigative paradigms, with an emphasis on financial intelligence, asset traceability, and transparency of wealth flows on an international scale