Article 35 of the Saudi Anti-Money Laundering Law
المادة 35 من نظام مكافحة غسل الأموال · الفصل الثامن: المصادرة
The article provides for confiscating other funds of equal value from the offender if the funds connected to the offense cannot be confiscated, and completing the value of the proceeds from his other funds if the confiscated amount is less.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- إذا كانت مصادرة الأموال المرتبطة بجريمة غسل أموال غير ممكنة لكونها لم تعد متوافرة للمصادرة أو لا يمكن تحديد مكانها؛ فتحكم المحكمة المختصة بمصادرة أموال أخرى يملكها مرتكب الجريمة تماثل قيمة تلك الأموال.
2- إذا كانت قيمة متحصلات الجريمة المحكوم بمصادرتها -وفقاً للمادة (الثالثة والثلاثين) من النظام- أقل من قيمة المتحصلات الناشئة من الجريمة الأصلية؛ فعلى المحكمة المختصة أن تحكم بالمصادرة من الأموال الأخرى لمرتكب الجريمة ما يكمل قيمة المتحصلات المحكوم بمصادرتها.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 35 explained in plain English
This article deals with a practical problem: what if the funds connected to the offense have disappeared, or what was confiscated from them is not enough? The solution it provides is confiscation by value.
Paragraph 1: confiscation is impossible. If confiscating the funds connected to a money laundering offense is not possible for one of two reasons:
- they are no longer available for confiscation, or
- their location cannot be determined,
then the competent court rules to confiscate other funds owned by the perpetrator equal to the value of those funds.
Paragraph 2: a shortfall in value. If the value of the proceeds ordered confiscated under Article 33 is less than the value of the proceeds arising from the predicate offense, the competent court must rule for confiscation from the offender's other funds of an amount that completes the value of the proceeds ordered confiscated.
Article 33 is what sets the basic rule: confiscation of the laundered funds, proceeds and instrumentalities by court judgment on conviction, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties, and if the proceeds are mixed with lawful funds, an amount equal to their estimated value is confiscated.
The result is that hiding, spending or smuggling out funds does not in itself prevent reaching their value, because confiscation extends to other funds owned by the perpetrator. Note that the text limits substitute confiscation to the funds of the perpetrator himself.
Anyone facing a judgment for confiscation by value would do well to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A person was convicted of laundering two million riyals, but he spent the amount and it is no longer available for confiscation. Under this article the competent court rules to confiscate other funds he owns, such as real estate, a car or a bank balance, equal to the value of the two million riyals.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 35 of the Saudi Anti-Money Laundering Law
What happens if the convicted person hid or spent the funds?
The competent court rules to confiscate other funds owned by the perpetrator equal to the value of the funds that are no longer available or whose location cannot be determined.
Can a convicted person's lawful funds be confiscated?
The article provides for confiscating other funds owned by the perpetrator equal to the value when confiscation is impossible, or enough to complete the value of the proceeds if the amount ordered confiscated is less.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Confiscating Laundered Funds
- Article 33Amended by M/223
The article sets what is confiscated by court judgment on conviction for money laundering or a predicate offense, including funds disproportionate to lawful income, while protecting bona fide third parties and voiding acts that obstruct recovery.
1- مع عدم الإخلال بحقوق الغير الحسن النية، يصادر بحكم قضائي في حال الإدانة بجريمة غسل أموال أو جريمة أصلية ما يأتي: أ- الأموال المغسولة. ب- المتحصلات، فإن اختلط
- Article 34
The article requires the competent court to order confiscation of funds connected to a money laundering offense without conviction, if the offender cannot be tried because of death, flight, absence or unknown identity.
تحكم المحكمة المختصة بمصادرة الأموال المرتبطة بجريمة غسل أموال التي لا تستند على إدانة في حال تعذر محاكمة مرتكب الجريمة بسبب وفاته أو هربه أو غيابه أو عدم تحديد
- Article 36
The article provides that confiscated funds revert to the public treasury unless another law provides otherwise, remaining burdened, up to their value, with the lawfully established rights of bona fide third parties.
ما لم ينص نظام آخر على غير ذلك, تؤول الأموال المصادَرة إلى الخزينة العامة، وتظل هذه الأموال مُحملة في حدود قيمتها بأي حقوق تتقرر بصورة مشروعة لأي طرف آخر حسن ال
- Article 37
The article allows the competent authority, after a confiscation judgment, to dispose of confiscated funds, proceeds or instrumentalities not required to be destroyed under the law, or share them with states that have valid agreements with the Kingdom.
إذا حكم بمصادرة الأموال أو المتحصلات أو الوسائط المستخدمة أو التي اتجهت النية لاستخدامها أو استردادها وفقاً لأحكام النظام وكانت غير واجبة الإتلاف، فللسلطة المخت
- Article 39
The article allows the competent authorities, at the request of another state under a valid agreement or reciprocity, to provide assistance in money laundering and predicate offense cases, such as tracing, freezing and confiscating funds.
للسلطات المختصة -بناءً على طلب من محكمة أو سلطة مختصة في دولة أخرى تربطها بالمملكة اتفاقية سارية أو تبعاً لمبدأ المعاملة بالمثل- أن تُقدم المساعدة في التحقيقات
- Article 40
The article allows the competent authorities to recognize and enforce a final foreign court judgment confiscating funds connected to money laundering or a predicate offense, under specified conditions.
يجوز للسلطات المختصة الاعتراف والتنفيذ لأي حكم قضائي نهائي ينص على مصادرة الأموال أو المتحصلات أو الوسائط المتعلقة بجرائم غسل الأموال أو الجريمة الأصلية، يصدر م
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.