Dubai Unlocked Files - The Launder Process

I watched a video regarding the Dubai Unlocked Files (https://www.occrp.org/en/project/dubai-unlocked).

In that video, a real estate broker was secretely recorded when he mentioned they take cash or crypto and basically ask no questions about the money's origin. He also gave a basic rundown of the launder process as - customers can buy an estate with dirty dollars and once they sell it again they have the money basically already laundered. He said something along the lines of "it's an official transaction and nobody in the (criminal's) home country can say anything".

Has anyone insights in the mechanics of these proceedings? I can hardly imagine that a local drug kingpin buys a penthouse in Dubai for a few millions, sells it, and when he get's a transaction to his domestic bank account simply refers to having sold a penthouse in a foreign country. I mean, is nobody asking them where the money for the purchase came from?

2 Comments
 

A lot of these deals are done through family members. IE the real buyers don't own the assets on paper. His brother may buy the property with dirty cash, the money from the sale would then be wired to the brother's account, for example. Said brother also happens to own a legit company that acts as a front, so no questions arise on the origin of the funds

 

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