The interpretation of the legal element 'origin' has been a largely unresolved issue in criminal law since the introduction of the money laundering offense into the German Criminal Code in 1992. The term is defined so broadly that the provision has even faced accusations of unconstitutionality. Nadina Bischofsberger attempts to clarify this legal element using classical methods of interpretation as well as further possibilities for restriction. Of particular importance are the theories of causality and the doctrine of objective attribution from the General Part of the Criminal Code. Key focus areas include the issues of personal and material transformation. Finally, constellations of money laundering in the context of newer payment technologies are critically examined, and potential solutions are presented.