economic crime

[ɪˌkɒnɒmɪk kraɪm]
nounpl: economic crimes
crime econômico
1. Illegal activity involving deception or fraud for financial gain, including embezzlement, money laundering, insider trading, and tax evasion
The executive was charged with economic crime for falsifying company records.
O executivo foi acusado de crime econômico por falsificar registros da empresa.
2. Non-violent criminal offenses committed in the course of business or financial transactions
Economic crime costs businesses billions of dollars annually.
O crime econômico custa bilhões de dólares às empresas anualmente.
3. White-collar criminal activity perpetrated by individuals or organizations for financial benefit
The task force was established to investigate economic crime in the financial sector.
A força-tarefa foi estabelecida para investigar crime econômico no setor financeiro.
In Brazil, economic crime ('crime econômico') is a serious concern particularly in the financial and political spheres, often discussed in relation to corruption and embezzlement cases. In the USA, the term is frequently used by the FBI, SEC, and financial regulatory bodies. Both countries have dedicated task forces and departments to combat economic crime, and it is treated as a major category of criminal activity distinct from street crime.
NYC Slang
white-collar hustle / financial scheme
Synonyms / Sinônimos
white-collar crimefinancial crimefraudembezzlementcorporate crime

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
crime econômico
Standard term used in legal and official contexts throughout Brazil
São Paulo
crime econômico / crime de colarinho branco
Both terms are commonly used in the business and financial hub
Portugal
crime económico
Portuguese spelling with 'c' instead of 'k'; used in legal documentation
USA/International
economic crime
Standard English term used by law enforcement, financial regulators, and international organizations

Related Words

money launderinginsider tradingtax evasionembezzlementfraudcorruptionfinancial misconductPonzi scheme

Related Idioms & Phrases

cooking the books
inside job
follow the money
financial misconduct
fraudulent scheme
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