PoliticsJuly 7, 2026

embezzlement

/ɪmˈbɛzəlmənt/

Definition

The criminal act of dishonestly appropriating or stealing funds or assets that have been entrusted to one's care or management.

Etymology

Derived from the Anglo-French 'embesiler', meaning to filch or make away with, which likely comes from the Old French 'besillier' meaning to pillage or ravage. It entered Middle English to specifically describe the betrayal of trust regarding financial property.

In the news

In this article, the term is used to describe the serious financial crimes investigated by prosecutors regarding a company implicated in a political scandal involving high-level government figures. This charge highlights the corruption allegations that undermined public trust in the political establishment.

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Warsaw Institute

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