public corruption
Bribery in office
Public corruption is the misuse of public office for private gain.
It encompasses bribery, embezzlement, kickbacks, and abuse of power by government officials, law enforcement, or others entrusted with public authority.
The FBI investigates public corruption cases involving elected officials.
The term often appears in legal and journalistic contexts to distinguish crimes by officials from private-sector misconduct.
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
- palm greasingIllicit payment for favors
- cashReady spending funds
- dirty moneyIllegally obtained wealth
- brown envelopeTan paper mailer
under the table · greed · whistleblower protections · embezzlement · extortion · hush money · abuse of power · fraud · cronyism · money laundering · transparency initiatives · nepotism · quid pro quo · scandal · social inequality · kleptocracy · lie · kickbacks
- criminal investigationsinvestigations, crime scene, crime scenes, crime scene investigation, crime scene analysis
- FBIFBI, agent, special agent, bureau, FBI Academy
- corruptiongraft, kickbacks, bribery, bribes, bribe
- investigationsinvestigation report, audit, investigation, review, FBI investigation
- Federal JusticeFBI, DEA, federal prosecutor, federal prosecutors, federal indictment
public corruptiongood governance
Accountable, transparent institutional management
public service · incorruptibility · civic virtue · probity · selfless service
public corruptionpublic trust
Faith in institutions
rule of law · governmental accountability · democratic accountability · checks and balances · meritocracy
public corruptiontransparency
State of being see-through
open government · accountability · freedom of information · sunshine laws · public scrutiny
public, publicly, publics, publication, publish, publisher, publishing, published, publican