Police across eight European countries arrested more than 60 members of a money mule network that laundered proceeds from phishing, online fraud and ransomware payments.
The network recruited university students and recent migrants through social media adverts promising easy income, using their bank accounts to receive and forward stolen funds in exchange for a commission.
Investigators traced tens of millions of euros through the mule chains, mapping the network through bank transaction analytics and evidence from earlier fraud cases.
Authorities warned that acting as a money mule is a criminal offense even for those who claim ignorance, and launched an awareness campaign targeting the demographics most frequently recruited.
