Financial laundering, often referred to as money laundering, is the process of concealing the origins of illegally obtained money by passing it through a complex sequence of banking transfers or commercial transactions. The goal is to make the illicit funds appear legitimate, enabling criminals to use the money without attracting law enforcement scrutiny. This process typically involves three stages: placement (introducing illegal funds into the financial system), layering (moving funds through multiple transactions to obscure their source), and integration (reintroducing the laundered money into the economy as seemingly legitimate assets). Financial laundering poses significant risks to the integrity of financial institutions and is a key focus in cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.