A person or group blamed for the mistakes or problems of others, often to deflect responsibility.
He was made the scapegoat for the project's failure.
The management seems to be looking for a scapegoat.
The company escaped responsibility for the failure by making a young employee the scapegoat.
He had nothing to do with the incident, but he was made a scapegoat.
There are people who immediately look for a scapegoat whenever a problem arises.