According to 18 U.S.C. § 1956, the money laundering statute, the property involved in a financial transaction must represent the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity, which is defined as a specified unlawful activity (SUA). SUAs include over 250 crimes in six categories, such as RICO predicate offenses, certain offenses against foreign nations, acts constituting a criminal enterprise under the Controlled Substances Act, and federal health care offenses. Therefore, in order to pursue a money laundering conviction, the government must prove that at least one SUA was committed and that the property involved in the transaction was derived from that SUA.
References:
* 18 U.S. Code § 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments, (a)(1) and (7).
* 957. Money Laundering-18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 & 1957, first paragraph.
* Specified Unlawful Activities (SUA), first paragraph.