corruption scandal
Official misconduct revealed
A corruption scandal is a public controversy involving officials or institutions accused of abusing power for personal gain—bribery, embezzlement, or similar misconduct.
The phrase implies both wrongdoing and exposure: The corruption scandal brought down the mayor's administration.
Scandals may involve actual crimes or merely ethical violations that damage public trust.
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
- graftIllicit political gain
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- money launderingDisguising criminal proceeds' origins
- coverupDeliberate hiding of wrongdoing
smoking gun · paper trail · kickback · sleaze · cronyism · fraud · whistleblower · indictment · plea deal · fall guy · resignation · downfall · exposé · payoff · under the table · hush money · dirty money · backroom
- Pakistani PoliticsNational Assembly, Prime Minister, federal government, provincial government, local government
corruption scandalgood governance
Accountable, transparent institutional management
public service · accountability · civic virtue · incorruptibility · rule of law
corruption scandalexoneration
Official clearing of blame
heroic act · commendation · vindication · Nobel Peace Prize · clean record
corruption scandalinstitutional reform
Changing established organizational structures
corruption, scandal, corrupt, corrupted, corrupting, corruptible, incorruptible, corruptly, corruptor