How Does Money Laundering Work in Schedule 1?

Money laundering in Schedule 1 isn’t some hidden legal drama, it’s one of the most essential systems you’ll unlock once your empire gets rolling. In this satirical crime simulator, you gather cash fast from selling contraband, hustling NPCs, and boss missions, but the game doesn’t let you just dump all that cash straight into your virtual bank account. If you’re wondering how does money laundering work in Schedule 1, this system explains it perfectly, turning your illicit cash into usable funds is simpler and more strategic than it first appears.

Why You Even Need to Launder Money

In Schedule 1, your legal bank balance and your cash are treated differently. There’s a hard limit on how much you can deposit via ATMs each week, usually around $10,000, and once you hit that, the game stops letting you bank more. But as your undercover drug and contraband empire grows, you’ll soon be swimming in more cash than you can deposit. That surplus might as well be dead weight unless you launder it.

Laundering lets you convert that physical cash into clean, usable bank funds without the ATM restriction, opening the door to buying bigger businesses, vehicles, and better gear.

Step 1: Buy a Legit Business

To start laundering, you first need a business, because in Schedule 1, the idea is that your illegal cash gets hidden inside some legal-looking storefront. Businesses like laundromats or post offices serve as your first options, with higher-tier businesses unlocking more capacity later. Each business you own has a back room with a laundering terminal, that’s your key tool.

Step 2: Head to the Back Room

Once you own the business, go inside. It looks normal at the front but through an employee-only door in the back, you’ll find a small computer. Interact with it, and that’s where you wash your money.

Step 3: Launder Your Cash

Here’s how the mechanic works:

Choose how much cash you want to launder, you need to physically be carrying the money.
Confirm the amount and start the laundering process.
Wait for it to process, it takes up to 24 in-game hours.
Watch it hit your bank account once done, clean and good to spend on legit stuff.

You literally move your illicit earnings into your legal balance by using these back-office terminals. There’s no extra cut or hidden penalty, just a system that turns your cash into usable funds.

How Much Can You Launder?

The basic laundromat lets you clean about $2,000 per day, which is perfect early in the game. As you grow, larger businesses let you handle even more each day. These aren’t cheats, they’re gameplay mechanics that let you scale up without being limited by ATM deposit caps.

What It Really Means in the Game

Money laundering in Schedule 1 is deceptively simple but tied to the broader empire-building loop. You start off small, selling weed or moonshine, and as you make bank, you need legit cash to buy warehouses, farms, cars, and mixers, all the tools of your growing illicit venture. If you ignore laundering, half your profit just sits in your pocket doing nothing.

It’s not about getting extra money, it’s about transforming power you already have into usable currency that lets you expand, upgrade, and dominate the game world.

Mastering Money Laundering in Schedule 1

In Schedule 1, money laundering isn’t punishment or penalty, it’s an engine of progression. You’re not evading cops, you’re optimizing your criminal logistics. If you’ve ever asked how does money laundering work in Schedule 1, this system shows exactly how to turn your cash into usable funds for growth. With a little cash, a clever business, and patience for the laundering timer, you open up the next tier of gameplay. That’s what makes this mechanic more than just a boring finance lesson, it’s part of the thrill of your rise from street dealer to the boss of a sprawling underground empire.