A talk given to Monaghan TY students today has highlighted the problem of money muling in Ireland. The conference which was organised by Monaghan Credit Union brought secondary school students together to hear talks given by Gardaí about the legalities around being a money mule and a representative from SOSAD.
The National Crime Agency defines money muling as "when an individual, commonly referred to as a 'money mule', moves the proceeds of crime on behalf of criminals, sometimes in exchange for payment or other benefits". Anne McKenna from the local Credit Union branch said TY students were invited to the talk because they are a vulnerable age group because they're neither children nor adults. They are also at the age to have their own current account and debit card.
She told Northern Sound, they heard case studies of young people who were approached by a friend or someone on their college course who persuade them they could make easy money if they handed over their bank details. Anne also said Cavan and Monaghan credit unions are holding events here after Kerry Credit Unions reported €30m "laundered" in bank accounts in the Kingdom in one year. James, a Beech Hill College student, explained what he learned at the conference:
