Responsabilidad penal de la persona jurídica en el delito de blanqueo de capitales

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to study, the criminal liability of the legal person regulated by Organic Law 1/2015 of 30 March 2015, which amends the Criminal Code regarding the criminal liability of legal persons; as provided in the title, specifically before the crime of money laundering, specifically studying the doctrinal discussions arising from articles 302.2 and 31 bis of the Criminal Code. It is discussed when the legal person is liable; when the offence is committed on its behalf or for its direct or indirect benefit by its legal representatives or by those who, being subject to the authority of the former, were able to commit the offence due to a lack of supervision or control on their part. Two conditions must be met: the offence must have been committed by one of its legal representatives or by employees under their authority, and the company must have failed to adopt adequate measures to prevent this type of criminal behaviour. To all this we add doctrinal questions on the imputability of companies, the type of liability to which they are subject and the exemption from liability -questioned- due to the proper application of ex ante regulatory compliance to money laundering.

El presente trabajo aborda la discusión doctrinal y jurisprudencial surgida tras la reforma operada por Ley Orgánica 1/2015 sobre la responsabilidad penal de las personas jurídicas y el delito de blanqueo de capitales. Entre otras cuestiones, se discute cuándo la persona jurídica será responsable; si ha sido cometido en su nombre o en su beneficio directo o indirecto por sus representantes legales o por aquellos que, estando sometidos a la autoridad de los anteriores, han podido cometer el delito debido a una falta de supervisión o control por su parte; el debate en torno a la imputabilidad de las empresas y los supuestos excluidos y, en especial, las contradicciones que surgen al eximir de responsabilidad criminal a las personas jurídicas por un blanqueo en virtud de la adopción y ejecución eficaz de programas de cumplimiento idóneos o adecuados para prevenirlo.