Not everyone who gets arrested for the white-collar crime of money laundering is guilty of a crime. Some start out as scam victims who get lured into muling money for criminal enterprises.
Learn more about the stages and consequences of being a money mule below.
How scams corrupt honest people
These types of money mule scams often start as employment offers or online romances. The ones answering the employment ads believe they are being offered a legitimate job opportunity, and the romance partners believe their online relationships are real.
Above are two examples of unwitting money mules. Their actions may be illegal, while their motivations may have been pure — at least initially.
Unwitting mules become witting over time
Perhaps it was a bank teller who first told them their banking actions raise several red flags. Other times, law enforcement themselves will warn unwitting money mules that their activities can lead them into legal trouble. At this point, they are considered witting and aware if they continue to mule money.
Third stage of money mules: Complicit
At some point, money mules may eventually become complicit in the illegal acts by trying to recruit their friends and family members, or more online strangers, to launder additional funds.
Why these distinctions matter
While ignorance of the law is never a defense, prosecutors do tend to take more seriously the actions of witting and complicit money mules than the acts of those who were true victims of online scammers.
If you get arrested on charges of muling money, it’s important to remain silent until you and your legal team can craft a stalwart defense to the charges.
