Bill Text: IL HB2353 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Amends the Criminal Code of 1961 relating to the offense of money laundering. Changes the definition of "criminally derived property" to: (1) any property, real or personal, constituting or derived from proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, from activity that constitutes a felony under State, federal, or foreign law; or (2) any property represented to be property constituting or derived from proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, from activity that constitutes a felony under State, federal, or foreign law (rather than a violation of the Criminal Code of 1961, the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Cannabis Control Act, or the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act). Establishes penalties for laundering of property by transporting, transmitting, or transferring, or attempting to transport, transmit, or transfer a monetary instrument knowing, or having reason to know, that the financial transaction is designed in whole or in part to avoid a transaction reporting requirement under State law. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-08-11 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 96-0275 [HB2353 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-HB2353-Enrolled.html

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AN ACT concerning criminal law.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by changing
Section 29B-1 as follows:
(720 ILCS 5/29B-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 29B-1)
Sec. 29B-1. (a) A person commits the offense of money
laundering:
(1) when, knowing that the property involved in a
financial transaction represents the proceeds of some form
of unlawful activity, he or she conducts or attempts to
conduct such a financial transaction which in fact involves
criminally derived property:
(A) with the intent to promote the carrying on of
the unlawful activity from which the criminally
derived property was obtained; or
(B) where he or she knows or reasonably should know
that the financial transaction is designed in whole or
in part:
(i) to conceal or disguise the nature, the
location, the source, the ownership or the control
of the criminally derived property; or
(ii) to avoid a transaction reporting

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requirement under State law; or
(1.5) when he or she transports, transmits, or
transfers, or attempts to transport, transmit, or transfer
a monetary instrument:
(A) with the intent to promote the carrying on of
the unlawful activity from which the criminally
derived property was obtained; or
(B) knowing, or having reason to know, that the
financial transaction is designed in whole or in part:
(i) to conceal or disguise the nature, the
location, the source, the ownership or the control
of the criminally derived property; or
(ii) to avoid a transaction reporting
requirement under State law; or
(2) when, with the intent to:
(A) promote the carrying on of a specified criminal
activity as defined in this Article; or
(B) conceal or disguise the nature, location,
source, ownership, or control of property believed to
be the proceeds of a specified criminal activity as
defined by subdivision (b)(6); or
(C) avoid a transaction reporting requirement
under State law,
he or she conducts or attempts to conduct a financial
transaction involving property he or she believes to be the
proceeds of specified criminal activity as defined by

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subdivision (b)(6) or property used to conduct or
facilitate specified criminal activity as defined by
subdivision (b)(6).
(b) As used in this Section:
(0.5) "Knowing that the property involved in a
financial transaction represents the proceeds of some form
of unlawful activity" means that the person knew the
property involved in the transaction represented proceeds
from some form, though not necessarily which form, of
activity that constitutes a felony under State, federal, or
foreign law, regardless of whether or not such activity is
specified in subdivision (b)(4).
(1) "Financial transaction" means a purchase, sale,
loan, pledge, gift, transfer, delivery or other
disposition utilizing criminally derived property, and
with respect to financial institutions, includes a
deposit, withdrawal, transfer between accounts, exchange
of currency, loan, extension of credit, purchase or sale of
any stock, bond, certificate of deposit or other monetary
instrument, use of safe deposit box, or any other payment,
transfer or delivery by, through, or to a financial
institution. For purposes of clause (a)(2) of this Section,
the term "financial transaction" also means a transaction
which without regard to whether the funds, monetary
instruments, or real or personal property involved in the
transaction are criminally derived, any transaction which

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in any way or degree: (1) involves the movement of funds by
wire or any other means; (2) involves one or more monetary
instruments; or (3) the transfer of title to any real or
personal property. The receipt by an attorney of bona fide
fees for the purpose of legal representation is not a
financial transaction for purposes of this Section.
(2) "Financial institution" means any bank; saving and
loan association; trust company; agency or branch of a
foreign bank in the United States; currency exchange;
credit union, mortgage banking institution; pawnbroker;
loan or finance company; operator of a credit card system;
issuer, redeemer or cashier of travelers checks, checks or
money orders; dealer in precious metals, stones or jewels;
broker or dealer in securities or commodities; investment
banker; or investment company.
(3) "Monetary instrument" means United States coins
and currency; coins and currency of a foreign country;
travelers checks; personal checks, bank checks, and money
orders; investment securities; bearer negotiable
instruments; bearer investment securities; or bearer
securities and certificates of stock in such form that
title thereto passes upon delivery.
(4) "Criminally derived property" means: (A) any
property, real or personal, constituting or derived from
proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, from activity
that constitutes a felony under State, federal, or foreign

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law pursuant to a violation of the Criminal Code of 1961,
the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Cannabis
Control Act, or the Methamphetamine Control and Community
Protection Act; or (B) any property represented to be
property constituting or derived from proceeds obtained,
directly or indirectly, from activity that constitutes a
felony under State, federal, or foreign law pursuant to a
violation of this Code, the Illinois Controlled Substances
Act, the Cannabis Control Act, or the Methamphetamine
Control and Community Protection Act.
(5) "Conduct" or "conducts" includes, in addition to
its ordinary meaning, initiating, concluding, or
participating in initiating or concluding a transaction.
(6) "Specified criminal activity" means any violation
of Section 20.5-5 (720 ILCS 5/20.5-5) and any violation of
Article 29D of this Code.
(7) "Director" means the Director of State Police or
his or her designated agents.
(8) "Department" means the Department of State Police
of the State of Illinois or its successor agency.
(9) "Transaction reporting requirement under State
law" means any violation as defined under the Currency
Reporting Act.
(c) Sentence.
(1) Laundering of criminally derived property of a
value not exceeding $10,000 is a Class 3 felony;

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(2) Laundering of criminally derived property of a
value exceeding $10,000 but not exceeding $100,000 is a
Class 2 felony;
(3) Laundering of criminally derived property of a
value exceeding $100,000 but not exceeding $500,000 is a
Class 1 felony;
(4) Money laundering in violation of subsection (a)(2)
of this Section is a Class X felony;
(5) Laundering of criminally derived property of a
value exceeding $500,000 is a Class 1 non-probationable
felony; .
(6) In a prosecution under clause (a)(1.5)(B)(ii) of
this Section, the sentences are as follows:
(A) Laundering of property of a value not exceeding
$10,000 is a Class 3 felony;
(B) Laundering of property of a value exceeding
$10,000 but not exceeding $100,000 is a Class 2 felony;
(C) Laundering of property of a value exceeding
$100,000 but not exceeding $500,000 is a Class 1
felony;
(D) Laundering of property of a value exceeding
$500,000 is a Class 1 non-probationable felony.
(d) Evidence. In a prosecution under this Article, either
party may introduce the following evidence pertaining to the
issue of whether the property or proceeds were known to be some
form of criminally derived property or from some form of

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unlawful activity:
(1) A financial transaction was conducted or
structured or attempted in violation of the reporting
requirements of any State or federal law; or
(2) A financial transaction was conducted or attempted
with the use of a false or fictitious name or a forged
instrument; or
(3) A falsely altered or completed written instrument
or a written instrument that contains any materially false
personal identifying information was made, used, offered
or presented, whether accepted or not, in connection with a
financial transaction; or
(4) A financial transaction was structured or
attempted to be structured so as to falsely report the
actual consideration or value of the transaction; or
(5) A money transmitter, a person engaged in a trade or
business or any employee of a money transmitter or a person
engaged in a trade or business, knows or reasonably should
know that false personal identifying information has been
presented and incorporates the false personal identifying
information into any report or record; or
(6) The criminally derived property is transported or
possessed in a fashion inconsistent with the ordinary or
usual means of transportation or possession of such
property and where the property is discovered in the
absence of any documentation or other indicia of legitimate

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origin or right to such property; or
(7) A person pays or receives substantially less than
face value for one or more monetary instruments; or
(8) A person engages in a transaction involving one or
more monetary instruments, where the physical condition or
form of the monetary instrument or instruments makes it
apparent that they are not the product of bona fide
business or financial transactions.
(e) Duty to enforce this Article.
(1) It is the duty of the Department of State Police,
and its agents, officers, and investigators, to enforce all
provisions of this Article, except those specifically
delegated, and to cooperate with all agencies charged with
the enforcement of the laws of the United States, or of any
state, relating to money laundering. Only an agent,
officer, or investigator designated by the Director may be
authorized in accordance with this Section to serve seizure
notices, warrants, subpoenas, and summonses under the
authority of this State.
(2) Any agent, officer, investigator, or peace officer
designated by the Director may: (A) make seizure of
property pursuant to the provisions of this Article; and
(B) perform such other law enforcement duties as the
Director designates. It is the duty of all State's
Attorneys to prosecute violations of this Article and
institute legal proceedings as authorized under this

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Article.
(f) Protective orders.
(1) Upon application of the State, the court may enter
a restraining order or injunction, require the execution of
a satisfactory performance bond, or take any other action
to preserve the availability of property described in
subsection (h) for forfeiture under this Article:
(A) upon the filing of an indictment, information,
or complaint charging a violation of this Article for
which forfeiture may be ordered under this Article and
alleging that the property with respect to which the
order is sought would be subject to forfeiture under
this Article; or
(B) prior to the filing of such an indictment,
information, or complaint, if, after notice to persons
appearing to have an interest in the property and
opportunity for a hearing, the court determines that:
(i) there is probable cause to believe that the
State will prevail on the issue of forfeiture and
that failure to enter the order will result in the
property being destroyed, removed from the
jurisdiction of the court, or otherwise made
unavailable for forfeiture; and
(ii) the need to preserve the availability of
the property through the entry of the requested
order outweighs the hardship on any party against

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whom the order is to be entered.
Provided, however, that an order entered pursuant
to subparagraph (B) shall be effective for not more
than 90 days, unless extended by the court for good
cause shown or unless an indictment, information,
complaint, or administrative notice has been filed.
(2) A temporary restraining order under this
subsection may be entered upon application of the State
without notice or opportunity for a hearing when an
indictment, information, complaint, or administrative
notice has not yet been filed with respect to the property,
if the State demonstrates that there is probable cause to
believe that the property with respect to which the order
is sought would be subject to forfeiture under this Section
and that provision of notice will jeopardize the
availability of the property for forfeiture. Such a
temporary order shall expire not more than 30 days after
the date on which it is entered, unless extended for good
cause shown or unless the party against whom it is entered
consents to an extension for a longer period. A hearing
requested concerning an order entered under this paragraph
shall be held at the earliest possible time and prior to
the expiration of the temporary order.
(3) The court may receive and consider, at a hearing
held pursuant to this subsection (f), evidence and
information that would be inadmissible under the Illinois

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rules of evidence.
(4) Order to repatriate and deposit.
(A) In general. Pursuant to its authority to enter
a pretrial restraining order under this Section, the
court may order a defendant to repatriate any property
that may be seized and forfeited and to deposit that
property pending trial with the Illinois State Police
or another law enforcement agency designated by the
Illinois State Police.
(B) Failure to comply. Failure to comply with an
order under this subsection (f) is punishable as a
civil or criminal contempt of court.
(g) Warrant of seizure. The State may request the issuance
of a warrant authorizing the seizure of property described in
subsection (h) in the same manner as provided for a search
warrant. If the court determines that there is probable cause
to believe that the property to be seized would be subject to
forfeiture, the court shall issue a warrant authorizing the
seizure of such property.
(h) Forfeiture.
(1) The following are subject to forfeiture:
(A) any property, real or personal, constituting,
derived from, or traceable to any proceeds the person
obtained directly or indirectly, as a result of a
violation of this Article;
(B) any of the person's property used, or intended

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to be used, in any manner or part, to commit, or to
facilitate the commission of, a violation of this
Article;
(C) all conveyances, including aircraft, vehicles
or vessels, which are used, or intended for use, to
transport, or in any manner to facilitate the
transportation, sale, receipt, possession, or
concealment of property described in subparagraphs (A)
and (B), but:
(i) no conveyance used by any person as a
common carrier in the transaction of business as a
common carrier is subject to forfeiture under this
Section unless it appears that the owner or other
person in charge of the conveyance is a consenting
party or privy to a violation of this Article;
(ii) no conveyance is subject to forfeiture
under this Section by reason of any act or omission
which the owner proves to have been committed or
omitted without his or her knowledge or consent;
(iii) a forfeiture of a conveyance encumbered
by a bona fide security interest is subject to the
interest of the secured party if he or she neither
had knowledge of nor consented to the act or
omission;
(D) all real property, including any right, title,
and interest (including, but not limited to, any

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leasehold interest or the beneficial interest in a land
trust) in the whole of any lot or tract of land and any
appurtenances or improvements, which is used or
intended to be used, in any manner or part, to commit,
or in any manner to facilitate the commission of, any
violation of this Article or that is the proceeds of
any violation or act that constitutes a violation of
this Article.
(2) Property subject to forfeiture under this Article
may be seized by the Director or any peace officer upon
process or seizure warrant issued by any court having
jurisdiction over the property. Seizure by the Director or
any peace officer without process may be made:
(A) if the seizure is incident to a seizure
warrant;
(B) if the property subject to seizure has been the
subject of a prior judgment in favor of the State in a
criminal proceeding, or in an injunction or forfeiture
proceeding based upon this Article;
(C) if there is probable cause to believe that the
property is directly or indirectly dangerous to health
or safety;
(D) if there is probable cause to believe that the
property is subject to forfeiture under this Article
and the property is seized under circumstances in which
a warrantless seizure or arrest would be reasonable; or

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(E) in accordance with the Code of Criminal
Procedure of 1963.
(3) In the event of seizure pursuant to paragraph (2),
forfeiture proceedings shall be instituted in accordance
with subsections (i) through (r).
(4) Property taken or detained under this Section shall
not be subject to replevin, but is deemed to be in the
custody of the Director subject only to the order and
judgments of the circuit court having jurisdiction over the
forfeiture proceedings and the decisions of the State's
Attorney under this Article. When property is seized under
this Article, the seizing agency shall promptly conduct an
inventory of the seized property and estimate the
property's value and shall forward a copy of the inventory
of seized property and the estimate of the property's value
to the Director. Upon receiving notice of seizure, the
Director may:
(A) place the property under seal;
(B) remove the property to a place designated by
the Director;
(C) keep the property in the possession of the
seizing agency;
(D) remove the property to a storage area for
safekeeping or, if the property is a negotiable
instrument or money and is not needed for evidentiary
purposes, deposit it in an interest bearing account;

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(E) place the property under constructive seizure
by posting notice of pending forfeiture on it, by
giving notice of pending forfeiture to its owners and
interest holders, or by filing notice of pending
forfeiture in any appropriate public record relating
to the property; or
(F) provide for another agency or custodian,
including an owner, secured party, or lienholder, to
take custody of the property upon the terms and
conditions set by the Director.
(5) When property is forfeited under this Article, the
Director shall sell all such property unless such property
is required by law to be destroyed or is harmful to the
public, and shall distribute the proceeds of the sale,
together with any moneys forfeited or seized, in accordance
with paragraph (6). However, upon the application of the
seizing agency or prosecutor who was responsible for the
investigation, arrest or arrests and prosecution which
lead to the forfeiture, the Director may return any item of
forfeited property to the seizing agency or prosecutor for
official use in the enforcement of laws, if the agency or
prosecutor can demonstrate that the item requested would be
useful to the agency or prosecutor in its enforcement
efforts. When any real property returned to the seizing
agency is sold by the agency or its unit of government, the
proceeds of the sale shall be delivered to the Director and

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distributed in accordance with paragraph (6).
(6) All monies and the sale proceeds of all other
property forfeited and seized under this Article shall be
distributed as follows:
(A) 65% shall be distributed to the metropolitan
enforcement group, local, municipal, county, or State
law enforcement agency or agencies which conducted or
participated in the investigation resulting in the
forfeiture. The distribution shall bear a reasonable
relationship to the degree of direct participation of
the law enforcement agency in the effort resulting in
the forfeiture, taking into account the total value of
the property forfeited and the total law enforcement
effort with respect to the violation of the law upon
which the forfeiture is based. Amounts distributed to
the agency or agencies shall be used for the
enforcement of laws.
(B)(i) 12.5% shall be distributed to the Office of
the State's Attorney of the county in which the
prosecution resulting in the forfeiture was
instituted, deposited in a special fund in the county
treasury and appropriated to the State's Attorney for
use in the enforcement of laws. In counties over
3,000,000 population, 25% shall be distributed to the
Office of the State's Attorney for use in the
enforcement of laws. If the prosecution is undertaken

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solely by the Attorney General, the portion provided
hereunder shall be distributed to the Attorney General
for use in the enforcement of laws.
(ii) 12.5% shall be distributed to the Office
of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor and
deposited in the Narcotics Profit Forfeiture Fund
of that office to be used for additional expenses
incurred in the investigation, prosecution and
appeal of cases arising under laws. The Office of
the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor shall
not receive distribution from cases brought in
counties with over 3,000,000 population.
(C) 10% shall be retained by the Department of
State Police for expenses related to the
administration and sale of seized and forfeited
property.
(i) Notice to owner or interest holder.
(1) Whenever notice of pending forfeiture or service of
an in rem complaint is required under the provisions of
this Article, such notice or service shall be given as
follows:
(A) If the owner's or interest holder's name and
current address are known, then by either personal
service or mailing a copy of the notice by certified
mail, return receipt requested, to that address. For
purposes of notice under this Section, if a person has

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been arrested for the conduct giving rise to the
forfeiture, then the address provided to the arresting
agency at the time of arrest shall be deemed to be that
person's known address. Provided, however, if an owner
or interest holder's address changes prior to the
effective date of the notice of pending forfeiture, the
owner or interest holder shall promptly notify the
seizing agency of the change in address or, if the
owner or interest holder's address changes subsequent
to the effective date of the notice of pending
forfeiture, the owner or interest holder shall
promptly notify the State's Attorney of the change in
address; or
(B) If the property seized is a conveyance, to the
address reflected in the office of the agency or
official in which title or interest to the conveyance
is required by law to be recorded, then by mailing a
copy of the notice by certified mail, return receipt
requested, to that address; or
(C) If the owner's or interest holder's address is
not known, and is not on record as provided in
paragraph (B), then by publication for 3 successive
weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the
county in which the seizure occurred.
(2) Notice served under this Article is effective upon
personal service, the last date of publication, or the

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mailing of written notice, whichever is earlier.
(j) Notice to State's Attorney. The law enforcement agency
seizing property for forfeiture under this Article shall,
within 90 days after seizure, notify the State's Attorney for
the county, either where an act or omission giving rise to the
forfeiture occurred or where the property was seized, of the
seizure of the property and the facts and circumstances giving
rise to the seizure and shall provide the State's Attorney with
the inventory of the property and its estimated value. When the
property seized for forfeiture is a vehicle, the law
enforcement agency seizing the property shall immediately
notify the Secretary of State that forfeiture proceedings are
pending regarding such vehicle.
(k) Non-judicial forfeiture. If non-real property that
exceeds $20,000 in value excluding the value of any conveyance,
or if real property is seized under the provisions of this
Article, the State's Attorney shall institute judicial in rem
forfeiture proceedings as described in subsection (l) of this
Section within 45 days from receipt of notice of seizure from
the seizing agency under subsection (j) of this Section.
However, if non-real property that does not exceed $20,000 in
value excluding the value of any conveyance is seized, the
following procedure shall be used:
(1) If, after review of the facts surrounding the
seizure, the State's Attorney is of the opinion that the
seized property is subject to forfeiture, then within 45

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days after the receipt of notice of seizure from the
seizing agency, the State's Attorney shall cause notice of
pending forfeiture to be given to the owner of the property
and all known interest holders of the property in
accordance with subsection (i) of this Section.
(2) The notice of pending forfeiture must include a
description of the property, the estimated value of the
property, the date and place of seizure, the conduct giving
rise to forfeiture or the violation of law alleged, and a
summary of procedures and procedural rights applicable to
the forfeiture action.
(3)(A) Any person claiming an interest in property
which is the subject of notice under paragraph (1) of this
subsection (k), must, in order to preserve any rights or
claims to the property, within 45 days after the effective
date of notice as described in subsection (i) of this
Section, file a verified claim with the State's Attorney
expressing his or her interest in the property. The claim
must set forth:
(i) the caption of the proceedings as set forth on
the notice of pending forfeiture and the name of the
claimant;
(ii) the address at which the claimant will accept
mail;
(iii) the nature and extent of the claimant's
interest in the property;

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(iv) the date, identity of the transferor, and
circumstances of the claimant's acquisition of the
interest in the property;
(v) the name and address of all other persons known
to have an interest in the property;
(vi) the specific provision of law relied on in
asserting the property is not subject to forfeiture;
(vii) all essential facts supporting each
assertion; and
(viii) the relief sought.
(B) If a claimant files the claim and deposits with the
State's Attorney a cost bond, in the form of a cashier's
check payable to the clerk of the court, in the sum of 10%
of the reasonable value of the property as alleged by the
State's Attorney or the sum of $100, whichever is greater,
upon condition that, in the case of forfeiture, the
claimant must pay all costs and expenses of forfeiture
proceedings, then the State's Attorney shall institute
judicial in rem forfeiture proceedings and deposit the cost
bond with the clerk of the court as described in subsection
(l) of this Section within 45 days after receipt of the
claim and cost bond. In lieu of a cost bond, a person
claiming interest in the seized property may file, under
penalty of perjury, an indigency affidavit which has been
approved by a circuit court judge.
(C) If none of the seized property is forfeited in the

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judicial in rem proceeding, the clerk of the court shall
return to the claimant, unless the court orders otherwise,
90% of the sum which has been deposited and shall retain as
costs 10% of the money deposited. If any of the seized
property is forfeited under the judicial forfeiture
proceeding, the clerk of the court shall transfer 90% of
the sum which has been deposited to the State's Attorney
prosecuting the civil forfeiture to be applied to the costs
of prosecution and the clerk shall retain as costs 10% of
the sum deposited.
(4) If no claim is filed or bond given within the 45
day period as described in paragraph (3) of this subsection
(k), the State's Attorney shall declare the property
forfeited and shall promptly notify the owner and all known
interest holders of the property and the Director of State
Police of the declaration of forfeiture and the Director
shall dispose of the property in accordance with law.
(l) Judicial in rem procedures. If property seized under
the provisions of this Article is non-real property that
exceeds $20,000 in value excluding the value of any conveyance,
or is real property, or a claimant has filed a claim and a cost
bond under paragraph (3) of subsection (k) of this Section, the
following judicial in rem procedures shall apply:
(1) If, after a review of the facts surrounding the
seizure, the State's Attorney is of the opinion that the
seized property is subject to forfeiture, then within 45

HB2353 Enrolled - 23 - LRB096 08518 RLC 18638 b
days of the receipt of notice of seizure by the seizing
agency or the filing of the claim and cost bond, whichever
is later, the State's Attorney shall institute judicial
forfeiture proceedings by filing a verified complaint for
forfeiture and, if the claimant has filed a claim and cost
bond, by depositing the cost bond with the clerk of the
court. When authorized by law, a forfeiture must be ordered
by a court on an action in rem brought by a State's
Attorney under a verified complaint for forfeiture.
(2) During the probable cause portion of the judicial
in rem proceeding wherein the State presents its
case-in-chief, the court must receive and consider, among
other things, all relevant hearsay evidence and
information. The laws of evidence relating to civil actions
apply to all other portions of the judicial in rem
proceeding.
(3) Only an owner of or interest holder in the property
may file an answer asserting a claim against the property
in the action in rem. For purposes of this Section, the
owner or interest holder shall be referred to as claimant.
Upon motion of the State, the court shall first hold a
hearing, wherein any claimant must establish by a
preponderance of the evidence, that he or she has a lawful,
legitimate ownership interest in the property and that it
was obtained through a lawful source.
(4) The answer must be signed by the owner or interest

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holder under penalty of perjury and must set forth:
(A) the caption of the proceedings as set forth on
the notice of pending forfeiture and the name of the
claimant;
(B) the address at which the claimant will accept
mail;
(C) the nature and extent of the claimant's
interest in the property;
(D) the date, identity of transferor, and
circumstances of the claimant's acquisition of the
interest in the property;
(E) the name and address of all other persons known
to have an interest in the property;
(F) all essential facts supporting each assertion;
and
(G) the precise relief sought.
(5) The answer must be filed with the court within 45
days after service of the civil in rem complaint.
(6) The hearing must be held within 60 days after
filing of the answer unless continued for good cause.
(7) The State shall show the existence of probable
cause for forfeiture of the property. If the State shows
probable cause, the claimant has the burden of showing by a
preponderance of the evidence that the claimant's interest
in the property is not subject to forfeiture.
(8) If the State does not show existence of probable

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cause, the court shall order the interest in the property
returned or conveyed to the claimant and shall order all
other property forfeited to the State. If the State does
show existence of probable cause, the court shall order all
property forfeited to the State.
(9) A defendant convicted in any criminal proceeding is
precluded from later denying the essential allegations of
the criminal offense of which the defendant was convicted
in any proceeding under this Article regardless of the
pendency of an appeal from that conviction. However,
evidence of the pendency of an appeal is admissible.
(10) An acquittal or dismissal in a criminal proceeding
does not preclude civil proceedings under this Article;
however, for good cause shown, on a motion by the State's
Attorney, the court may stay civil forfeiture proceedings
during the criminal trial for a related criminal indictment
or information alleging a money laundering violation. Such
a stay shall not be available pending an appeal. Property
subject to forfeiture under this Article shall not be
subject to return or release by a court exercising
jurisdiction over a criminal case involving the seizure of
such property unless such return or release is consented to
by the State's Attorney.
(11) All property declared forfeited under this
Article vests in this State on the commission of the
conduct giving rise to forfeiture together with the

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proceeds of the property after that time. Any such property
or proceeds subsequently transferred to any person remain
subject to forfeiture and thereafter shall be ordered
forfeited.
(12) A civil action under this Article must be
commenced within 5 years after the last conduct giving rise
to forfeiture became known or should have become known or 5
years after the forfeitable property is discovered,
whichever is later, excluding any time during which either
the property or claimant is out of the State or in
confinement or during which criminal proceedings relating
to the same conduct are in progress.
(m) Stay of time periods. If property is seized for
evidence and for forfeiture, the time periods for instituting
judicial and non-judicial forfeiture proceedings shall not
begin until the property is no longer necessary for evidence.
(n) Settlement of claims. Notwithstanding other provisions
of this Article, the State's Attorney and a claimant of seized
property may enter into an agreed-upon settlement concerning
the seized property in such an amount and upon such terms as
are set out in writing in a settlement agreement.
(o) Property constituting attorney fees. Nothing in this
Article applies to property which constitutes reasonable bona
fide attorney's fees paid to an attorney for services rendered
or to be rendered in the forfeiture proceeding or criminal
proceeding relating directly thereto where such property was

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paid before its seizure, before the issuance of any seizure
warrant or court order prohibiting transfer of the property and
where the attorney, at the time he or she received the property
did not know that it was property subject to forfeiture under
this Article.
(p) Construction. It is the intent of the General Assembly
that the forfeiture provisions of this Article be liberally
construed so as to effect their remedial purpose. The
forfeiture of property and other remedies hereunder shall be
considered to be in addition to, and not exclusive of, any
sentence or other remedy provided by law.
(q) Judicial review. If property has been declared
forfeited under subsection (k) of this Section, any person who
has an interest in the property declared forfeited may, within
30 days after the effective date of the notice of the
declaration of forfeiture, file a claim and cost bond as
described in paragraph (3) of subsection (k) of this Section.
If a claim and cost bond is filed under this Section, then the
procedures described in subsection (l) of this Section apply.
(r) Burden of proof of exemption or exception. It is not
necessary for the State to negate any exemption or exception in
this Article in any complaint, information, indictment or other
pleading or in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding under
this Article. The burden of proof of any exemption or exception
is upon the person claiming it.
(s) Review of administrative decisions. All administrative

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findings, rulings, final determinations, findings, and
conclusions of the State's Attorney's Office under this Article
are final and conclusive decisions of the matters involved. Any
person aggrieved by the decision may obtain review of the
decision pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative
Review Law and the rules adopted pursuant to that Law. Pending
final decision on such review, the administrative acts, orders,
and rulings of the State's Attorney's Office remain in full
force and effect unless modified or suspended by order of court
pending final judicial decision. Pending final decision on such
review, the acts, orders, and rulings of the State's Attorney's
Office remain in full force and effect, unless stayed by order
of court. However, no stay of any decision of the
administrative agency shall issue unless the person aggrieved
by the decision establishes by a preponderance of the evidence
that good cause exists for the stay. In determining good cause,
the court shall find that the aggrieved party has established a
substantial likelihood of prevailing on the merits and that
granting the stay will not have an injurious effect on the
general public.
(Source: P.A. 93-520, eff. 8-6-03; 94-364, eff. 7-29-05;
94-556, eff. 9-11-05; 94-955, eff. 6-27-06.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.