The aim of this article is to illustrate potential conduits for money laundering in the consulting
sector in Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. A qualitative content
analysis of 100 semi-standardized expert interviews with both criminals and prevention
experts was conducted, along with a quantitative survey of 200 compliance officers, allowing
for the identification of concrete methods of money laundering in the consulting sector. Due
to their excellent reputation, consulting companies in German-speaking countries in Europe
continue to be extraordinarily attractive to money launderers. Most notably, they can be
used for layering and integration, as well as for working around various issues with tax
codes. As the qualitative findings are based on semi-standardized interviews, they are limited
to only the 100 interviewees’ perspectives. The identification of loopholes and weaknesses
in the current anti-money laundering mechanisms is meant to provide compliance officers,
law enforcement agencies, and legislators with valuable insights into how criminals operate,
with the aim of helping them to more effectively combat money laundering. While the
previous literature focuses on organizations fighting money laundering and on the improvement
of anti-money laundering measures, this article illustrates how money launderers
operate to avoid arrest. Prevention methods and criminal perspectives are equally taken
into account
