From dirty money to “creative financing”: an exploratory netnography, euphemism and cognitive dissonance in financial crime narratives

Purpose This study aims to explore how perpetrators of illegal financial practices, especially money laundering, construct narratives, euphemisms and rationalizations to justify their actions. The main focus is directed at the ways in which they engineer language and meaning to obscure the criminal dimensions of their actions in digital spaces and online communities. Design/methodology/approach This study uses an in-depth passive observation approach through social media searches such as YouTube and Twitter related to money laundering cases. Data is examined using a combination of language framing analysis to identify language patterns and euphemisms used by perpetrators, and visual narrative analysis to understand visual and symbolic representations that strengthen the justification narrative. This analysis is complemented by a language semiotic approach to interpret the hidden meanings built into the online communication practices. Findings The study found that financial crime perpetrators consistently used a variety of rationalization strategies to justify their illegal actions. These strategies included neutralization of responsibility, moral justification and the use of euphemisms to obscure the criminal dimension of their behavior. These findings suggest that cognitive dissonance plays a significant role in maintaining the psychological comfort of perpetrators, allowing them to maintain a positive self-image even though their actions clearly violate legal norms and social ethics. Research limitations/implications The results of this study provide important contributions to the literature on financial crime and moral psychology by revealing that money laundering practices are not solely driven by economic motives, but also influenced by complex psychological mechanisms, such as moral rationalization and cognitive dissonance. Practical implications The findings of this study indicate that money laundering prevention efforts need to be designed more holistically. In addition to strengthening regulatory and law enforcement aspects, prevention strategies must also include value-based ethics education, as well as psychological interventions and strategic communication aimed at reducing the cognitive rationalization used by perpetrators. Originality/value This study offers an alternative perspective in understanding the narrative and psychological dynamics behind money laundering practices, by emphasizing how perpetrators reframe illegal acts through language strategies and moral justifications. Through an online ethnographic (netnographic) approach and narrative analysis rooted in cognitive dissonance and linguistic euphemism theories, this study contributes to the development of more comprehensive anti-money laundering policies, considering psychosocial aspects in addition to legal-formal aspects.