The past tense and past participle of the verb 'launder,' meaning to cleanse, wash, or purify. More commonly, it refers to the process of concealing the origins of illegally obtained money or assets, making them appear legitimate. This often involves passing funds through various transactions and accounts to obscure the audit trail and evade detection by authorities. Laundering can also apply to the act of cleaning or restoring the reputation of something tarnished or discredited, such as an organization or individual, often through public relations or image management strategies. The purpose is to make something appear more acceptable or respectable.
Laundered meaning with examples
- The company successfully laundered its reputation after a major scandal by implementing new ethical guidelines and transparency measures, rebuilding public trust over several years. The focus was on open communication, proactive steps, and changing the company's business culture to prevent similar issues in the future. It was a long road but ultimately beneficial.
- Investigators uncovered evidence that the politician had laundered campaign donations through offshore shell corporations, attempting to hide the true source of the funds and circumvent campaign finance laws. The sophisticated scheme involved multiple layers of transactions, making it difficult for auditors to trace the money.
- The art dealer was accused of **laundering** money through the purchase and resale of high-value paintings, using the art market to disguise illicit funds derived from drug trafficking. The artworks were often purchased at inflated prices and subsequently resold to create a veneer of legitimacy around the transactions.
- After the discovery of the incriminating emails, the public relations team carefully laundered the CEO's image by highlighting his philanthropic work and projecting a narrative of personal growth and regret to mitigate the damage from the scandal.
Laundered Crossword Answers
5 Letters
CLEAN
6 Letters
WASHED
7 Letters
CLEANED