war profiteer
Battles fuel fortune
A war profiteer is a person or company that makes excessive profits from wartime commerce, especially by exploiting shortages, selling arms, or winning lucrative government contracts during military conflicts.
The term carries strong negative connotations, suggesting that someone benefits financially from others' suffering and death.
Defense contractors were accused of being war profiteers during the conflict.
The related verb is profiteer, and the practice is war profiteering.
Illegal return payments
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
- blood moneyPayment tied to death
- collusionFraudulent secret cooperation
- cronyismFavoring friends in appointments
revolving door · cost overruns · shell companies · offshore accounts · money laundering · slush funds · embezzlement · influence peddling
Vendor of weaponry
- defense contractorCompany producing military goods
- military-industrial complexDefense and arms industry alliance
- mercenarySoldier fighting for pay
- smugglerIllegal goods transporter
sanctions evasion · conflict zone · proxy war · warlord · war economy · occupied territory · blockade running
Excessive pricing during crises
- hoardingExcessive accumulation of goods
- black marketIllicit trading system
- stockpilingAccumulating supplies in quantity
- captive marketConsumers lacking purchasing alternatives
Weapons seller, war profiteer
- vultureCarrion-eating raptor
- parasiteOne exploiting a host
- opportunistOne exploiting circumstances
- unscrupulousLacking moral principles
amoral · predatory · exploitative · unconscionable · callous · Krupp · Halliburton · carpetbagger
kickbacks
Illegal return payments
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
- blood moneyPayment tied to death
- collusionFraudulent secret cooperation
cronyism · revolving door · cost overruns · shell companies · offshore accounts · money laundering · slush funds · embezzlement · influence peddling · war chest
arms dealer
Vendor of weaponry
- defense contractorCompany producing military goods
- military-industrial complexDefense and arms industry alliance
- mercenarySoldier fighting for pay
smuggler · sanctions evasion · conflict zone · proxy war · warlord · war economy · occupied territory · blockade running
price gouging
Excessive pricing during crises
- hoardingExcessive accumulation of goods
- black marketIllicit trading system
- stockpilingAccumulating supplies in quantity
captive market · looting · plunder · asset stripping · seized property
merchant of death
Weapons seller, war profiteer
- vultureCarrion-eating raptor
- parasiteOne exploiting a host
- opportunistOne exploiting circumstances
unscrupulous · amoral · predatory · exploitative · unconscionable · callous · Krupp · Halliburton · carpetbagger · speculator
war profiteerpacifist
Anti-violence believer
peace activist · conscientious objector · dove · peacemaker · Mahatma Gandhi
war profiteerwar hero
One honored for combat bravery
Red Cross worker · combat medic · relief worker · war correspondent · whistleblower
war profiteerwar refugee
One fleeing armed conflict
displaced person · war casualty · civilian casualty · war widow · war orphan
warring, warred, warlike, warrior, warriors, warfare, wartime, profiteer, profiteers