This paper investigates how accounting is used to disguise and realize money laundering activities in specific socio-economic and political contexts and whether discretionary accruals can provide evidence of such illicit practices realized through legally registered Mafia firms (LMFs). The study is based on a sample of 224 Italian firms identified as LMFs, due to having been confiscated by judicial authorities because of their owners being accused of Mafia-type association. Using a multivariate regression model, specifically developed discretionary accrual proxies for LMFs are compared with those of a population of lawful firms (LWFs). ...