Maryland § 5-623

§ 5-623.

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

        (2)    “Drug crime” means:

            (i)    a crime under this title; or

            (ii)    a crime committed in another jurisdiction that would be a crime under this title if committed in this State.

        (3)    “Financial transaction” means:

            (i)    a payment;

            (ii)    a purchase;

            (iii)    a sale;

            (iv)    a loan;

            (v)    a pledge;

            (vi)    a transfer;

            (vii)    a delivery;

            (viii)    a deposit;

            (ix)    a withdrawal; or

            (x)    an extension of credit or exchange of a monetary instrument or equivalent property, including precious metals, stones or jewelry, airline tickets, stamps, or credit in a financial institution as defined in § 1-101 of the Financial Institutions Article.

        (4)    “Monetary instrument” means:

            (i)    coin or currency of the United States or any other country;

            (ii)    a bank check;

            (iii)    a travelers’ check;

            (iv)    a money order;

            (v)    an investment security; or

            (vi)    a negotiable instrument.

        (5)    “Proceeds” means money or any other property with a value exceeding $10,000.

    (b)    Except for a financial transaction necessary to preserve a person’s right to representation as guaranteed by the 6th Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article 21 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights, a person may not, with the intent to promote a drug crime or with the intent to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of proceeds of a drug crime:

        (1)    receive or acquire proceeds knowing that the proceeds are derived from a drug crime;

        (2)    engage in a financial transaction involving proceeds knowing that the proceeds are derived from a drug crime;

        (3)    give, sell, transfer, trade, invest, conceal, transport, or maintain an interest in proceeds knowing that the proceeds are derived from a drug crime;

        (4)    direct, promote, plan, organize, initiate, finance, manage, supervise, or facilitate the transportation or transfer of proceeds knowing that the proceeds are derived from a drug crime; or

        (5)    conduct a financial transaction involving proceeds knowing that the proceeds are derived from a drug crime.

    (c)    A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to:

        (1)    for a first violation:

            (i)    imprisonment not exceeding 5 years;

            (ii)    a fine not exceeding the greater of $250,000 or twice the value of the proceeds involved in the financial transaction; or

            (iii)    both; or

        (2)    for each subsequent violation:

            (i)    imprisonment not exceeding 10 years;

            (ii)    a fine not exceeding the greater of $500,000 or 5 times the value of the proceeds involved in the financial transaction; or

            (iii)    both.

    (d)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes of this section each financial transaction is a separate violation.