Almost everyone is on social media these days or at least has an email account. Many people forge online friendships with virtual strangers who may not be who they portray themselves as.
Online scammers target vulnerable people like job seekers and those seeking partners through online dating. While there is nothing inherently wrong with either, people must be aware that forging ties with online friends can be risky.
Could you be accused of being a money mule?
The term money mule comes from the beasts of burden that carry heavy loads. In reality, a money mule is laundering money from a criminal enterprise or an individual. These bad actors seek out naive and trusting people to open bank accounts in their names and deposit funds into their accounts that they later are told to transfer to cryptocurrency or offshore accounts.
For their trouble, they get a commission. That’s how some people looking online for jobs get roped in. They might be told to install special software or even to buy new laptops for their new “jobs.”
How it can backfire in the worst way
As you can tell from this North Carolina case in 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) takes these cases very seriously. The convicted defendant was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary, followed with probation, restitution and asset forfeiture.
Money mules can start out as unwitting victims but later become aware of the scheme and may even wind up complicit by recruiting others to mule a criminal cartel’s illegal proceeds.
Take any felony charges very seriously
If you get caught up in a scam and feel like you’re in over your head, take your situation seriously. You could wind up facing money laundering charges, for which you will need to build a robust defense.
