Criminal Law: Document Offences and Money Laundering
Core concepts
This domain covers offences against documents and money laundering. Know the elements of forgery: the making of a false document, the alteration of a genuine one, and the use of a false document, plus the distinction between official and private documents. For money laundering, understand the predicate offence, the conduct (conversion, concealment, acquisition), and the mental element. Know the obligations of notaries as obliged entities: identification, risk assessment, reporting of suspicious transactions, and record-keeping.
Traps
Questions test the difference between forgery and fraud, the moment the offence is complete, and the scope of the notary's reporting duty. Watch the rules on professional secrecy versus the duty to report.
Rule of thumb
Ask: is the document false, was it used, and was the user aware? Example: A party presents a forged power of attorney to a notary; the offence is complete on use, and the notary must refuse the act and report the suspicion.