Crypto Money Mule
A person, often recruited under false pretences, who moves stolen cryptocurrency on behalf of criminals, typically through their own wallet, and bears legal risk.
Also known as: cryptocurrency mule, money mule crypto
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
A crypto money mule is someone who receives stolen cryptocurrency into their wallet and transfers it onward to accounts controlled by criminal operators. Mules are often recruited through fake remote-job advertisements promising easy income for 'cryptocurrency processing,' through romance relationships, or through fraudulent investment schemes where victims are told to pass funds along.
Because the mule's wallet appears in the on-chain theft trail, they face serious legal exposure for money laundering even if they did not know the funds were stolen. Law enforcement increasingly targets mules as identifiable participants in international crypto fraud networks.
Anyone asked to receive cryptocurrency and forward it to another address, in any context, should treat this as a strong indicator of criminal activity. This applies even if the person making the request is someone the individual has known online for months, as romance scam recruiters cultivate trust before making the ask.