patsies
Easy marks, basically
Patsies is the plural of patsy—a person who is easily manipulated, deceived, or blamed for something.
A patsy takes the fall while others escape consequences: The mob needed patsies to take the rap.
The word suggests someone naive or powerless enough to be set up: They're looking for patsies to pin this on.
Easily fooled person
easy mark · sitting duck · gull · mug · soft touch · pushover · stooge · victim
One blamed for others
- whipping boyDesignated recipient of punishment
- sacrificial lambOne offered for others' benefit
- framedEnclosed or blamed falsely
- set upPrepare or establish
accused · target · stooge · front · cover · alibi · decoy · bag holder
Controlled performing figure
- pawnUnwitting tool of another
- toolDevice for a task
- instrumentDevice for specific tasks
- cat's pawManipulated agent for another
marionette · minion · lackey · stooge · henchman · flunky · errand boy · useful idiot
Innocently unsuspecting
- credulousProne to blind trust
- trustingInclined to believe others
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
- ingenuousInnocently frank and trusting
impressionable · unwary · unsophisticated · green · innocent · guileless · artless · unworldly
sucker
Easily fooled person
sap · easy mark · sitting duck · gull · mug · soft touch · pushover · stooge · victim · fool
fall guy
One blamed for others
- whipping boyDesignated recipient of punishment
- sacrificial lambOne offered for others' benefit
- framedEnclosed or blamed falsely
set up · accused · target · stooge · front · cover · alibi · decoy · bag holder · lightning rod
puppet
Controlled performing figure
- pawnUnwitting tool of another
- toolDevice for a task
- instrumentDevice for specific tasks
cat's paw · marionette · minion · lackey · stooge · henchman · flunky · errand boy · useful idiot · proxy
naive
Innocently unsuspecting
- credulousProne to blind trust
- trustingInclined to believe others
- unsuspectingNot anticipating danger
ingenuous · impressionable · unwary · unsophisticated · green · innocent · guileless · artless · unworldly · easily fooled
patsiesmasterminds
Plans and directs schemes
puppet masters · orchestrators · ringleaders · manipulators · kingpins