Implications of DeFi actors in crime events. This figure depicts the versatile roles DeFi actors can occupy in profit-driven crime through a simplified representation of a crime event unfolding, from the malicious source to the victimized party. In the first row, labeled DeFi actor as target, a malicious source targets a DeFi actor and utilizes it. In the second row, DeFi actor as malicious, the DeFi actor itself targets users. In the third row, DeFi actor as intermediary, a malicious source impersonates a DeFi actor to target users. Arrows indicate the direction of targeting in all cases.