The U.S. Department of Justice arrested a 64-year-old woman from Benton, Tennessee, on Monday. Donna Clark Sr. was arraigned on an indictment charging her with wire fraud, money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmittal business, which the DOJ referred to as a “money mule” operation.
Money mules are people who transfer illegally acquired money on behalf of someone else. They move funds in various ways, including through bank accounts, cashier’s checks, virtual currency, prepaid debit cards or money service businesses.
According to court documents, Clark participated in a scheme from October 2020 to July 2021 in which she received, deposited, transferred and transmitted money obtained as part of fraudulent schemes – including fraud related to the receipt of a COVID-19 related PPP loan.
The Department of Justice said the scheme was designed in order to “add layers to the money trail from victims to the criminal actors” for whom she laundered money.
Clark pleaded not guilty to the charges.