She made several small deposits which is not illegal.
1) Perhaps a small amount to someone as wealthy as you are. $9k is a chunk of change for most of us.
2) Yes, is illegal when a reportable amount is broken into separate deposits to avoid the reporting requirements. And $180,000.00 would certainly have been reportable if she had carried it all in to the bank at one time. It wasn't like the family hadn't been caught before and warned. (See, I remember the true story, not the blogger spin) http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2015/02/10/dubuque-widow-hubands-cash-deposits-lawsuit/23195305/