skulduggeries
Tricks and deceits
Skulduggeries is the plural of skulduggery—underhanded or unscrupulous behavior, especially involving trickery or deception.
The word carries a slightly theatrical quality, often describing schemes that are more crafty than violent: corporate skulduggeries, political skulduggeries.
The investigation uncovered years of financial skulduggeries.
Deliberate deception or fraud
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- underhandedSecretly dishonest or unfair
- deviousUnderhanded and calculating
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
machinations · duplicity · chicanery · subterfuge · conniving · double-dealing · wiles · artifice
Intentional criminal trickery
- EnronFailed energy corporation
- accountingMaintaining financial records
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- PonziSwindler's surname, now generic
offshore · swindling · misappropriation · fudging · falsification · whistleblower · auditing · executives
Dishonest abuse of power
- backroomPrivate space for dealings
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
- cronyismFavoring friends in appointments
- graftIllicit political gain
cover-up · scandal · conspiracy · nepotism · Watergate · lobbying · rigged · gerrymandering
Methods of secret agents
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- covertIntentionally concealed
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- operativesThose who execute missions
moles · counterintelligence · surveillance · infiltration · disinformation · sabotage · tradecraft · handlers
trickery
Deliberate deception or fraud
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- underhandedSecretly dishonest or unfair
- deviousUnderhanded and calculating
cunning · machinations · duplicity · chicanery · subterfuge · conniving · double-dealing · wiles · artifice · deceitfulness
fraud
Intentional criminal trickery
- EnronFailed energy corporation
- accountingMaintaining financial records
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
Ponzi · offshore · swindling · misappropriation · fudging · falsification · whistleblower · auditing · executives · boardroom
corruption
Dishonest abuse of power
- backroomPrivate space for dealings
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
- cronyismFavoring friends in appointments
graft · cover-up · scandal · conspiracy · nepotism · Watergate · lobbying · rigged · gerrymandering · patronage
spycraft
Methods of secret agents
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- covertIntentionally concealed
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
operatives · moles · counterintelligence · surveillance · infiltration · disinformation · sabotage · tradecraft · handlers · assets
skulduggeriesintegrity
Moral soundness and consistency
uprightness · honesty · straightforwardness · probity · rectitude
skulduggeriesfair play
Honorable conduct in games
ethical business practices · due process · square dealing · propriety