a flashy or impressive event that lacks substance or meaning
1
loan shark
noun
a person who lends money to people, typically under illegal conditions, at a very high rate of interest
2
five-finger discount
noun
the action of taking goods from a store without paying for them
3
funny business
noun
any activity or behavior that is considered suspicious, dishonest, or deceptive, often intended to deceive or cheat others
4
creative accounting
noun
the use of misleading accounting methods to present a company's financial position in a more favorable light
5
money laundering
noun
the process of concealing the origins, ownership, or destination of illegally obtained money by passing it through a legitimate financial institution or businesses
6
sharp practice
noun
the act or practice of engaging in unethical or questionable business practices that are intended to gain an advantage over competitors or deceive customers
7
hush money
noun
money that is offered to someone so that they do not share a piece of information or a secret with others
8
slush fund
noun
an amount of money that is set aside to be used for dishonest or illegal activities
9
to take sb to the cleaners
phrase
to take someone's possessions by force or without the right to do so
10
easy money
noun
money that one gains without much effort and often by dishonest means
11
on the fiddle
phrase
used to refer to a person, organization, etc. that uses dishonest or illegal methods to gain money
12
quick / fast buck
phrase
money earned quickly or with ease, particularly in a dishonest way