One in three young people would consider acting as a money mule, research suggests

THE NUMBER OF young people who have been approached to act as a money mule has sharply increased – and one in three aged between 18 and 34 say they would consider agreeing to do it in exchange for payment, according to new Irish research. 

New figures released today by Fraud Smart, a fraud awareness initiative from the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI), suggest that over €7 million was laundered through money mule accounts between June 2025 and June 2026.

A money mule is someone who allows their bank account to be used to receive and transfer stolen money or other proceeds of crime, helping criminals to launder those funds, often in return for money or an expensive gift. 

The new BPFI figures show that 44% of 18-34-year-olds say they have been approached, or know someone who has been approached, to use their bank account to transfer money – an increase of 24% from 2025.

Additionally, 37% of 18–24-year-olds and 35% of 25–34-year-olds say they would consider allowing their account to be used to transfer money in exchange for payment.

Across all adults surveyed, men are almost twice as likely as women to say they would consider allowing their account to be used to transfer money.

An Garda Síochána has said that as well as men and younger people, people experiencing economic hardship and newcomers to the country are most frequently targeted for money muling.

They said that people are targeted to act as money mules through seemingly legitimate job ads, as well as online posts and messaging.

In Ireland, people caught acting as a money mule, either knowingly or unknowingly, can face a prison sentence, fine or community service, and the prospect of never being able to secure a mortgage or open a bank account.

However, the BPFI figures suggest many young people are not aware of the serious consequences of the crime.

Awareness of the consequences was lowest among 18–24-year-olds, with almost one third (31%) unaware they could end up with a criminal record, while 40% were unaware it could affect their ability to obtain an international travel or work visa.

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‘Fed up’

Legal professionals have repeatedly voiced their frustration over young people in Ireland becoming money mules and using inexperience as an excuse. 

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing involving 20-year-old money mule Ryan Odusanya last December, Judge Martin Nolan said this type of money laundering case is coming before the court “in droves”.

“I am getting fed up with young people coming into this court and saying I was young and I was stupid. Every one of them knows people are going to benefit and people are going to lose,” the judge said.

Meanwhile, in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing in April, one defence barrister, Jennifer Jackson, said legal professionals are “blue in the face explaining how young people become involved in this situation” after being contacted on social media and offered money to allow their account to be used.

Jackson’s client, 23-year-old Obaseki Gerald, allowed his Revolut account to hold funds taken from a woman in her 80s in a smishing scam.

Jackson said at the time that her client put his head in the sand and didn’t think about the potential consequences.

In a statement today, compliance expert Michael Kavanagh said the new figures from the BPFI are “likely a reflection of the increase in money laundering activity in Ireland”.

“The sharp rise in the number of young adults being targeted by criminals who are seeking money mules is concerning – as is the significant proportion of young adults who would consider acting as money mules,” he said. 

“It’s important for people to recognise and resist any attempts to recruit them as money mules and to understand the consequences of doing so.”

Kavanagh, who is chief executive of the Compliance Institute, said that as criminal networks abandon cash in favour of digital payments, the methods used to conceal illicit funds are “becoming more sophisticated”.

He warned that criminals may disguise ‘money mule’ tasks as job opportunities.

He said people should be wary of any job adverts seeking ‘money transfer agents’ or positions that involve transferring money or goods.