Hidden money is a form of bribery used to secure a person’s silence or discretion, often in exchange for a substantial amount of cash. It is rarely identified as such and can be disguised as an employee performance bonus, short-term loan, or gift. However, the recipient may become a blackmailer or report the activity to authorities. The threat of imprisonment or heavy fines may outweigh the benefits of hidden money, making the recipient more willing to reveal what they know.
As an old saying goes, three people can keep a secret while two of them are dead. Another method of securing a person’s silence or discretion is a form of bribery known as hidden money. A corrupt politician might offer hidden money to an official who discovers an illegal bribe, for example. The amount of money must be substantial enough to convince the other party to remain silent about the incident or suffer selective memory loss if questioned.
Hidden money is rarely identified as such, because acknowledging the offer of a bribe in exchange for a witness’s silence can also be interpreted as criminal activity. Instead, the guilty or shamed party may qualify the cash payment as an employee performance bonus, short-term loan, or generous, unconditional gift. In general, the recipient of this hidden money is expected to remain discreet about the true reasons for sudden generosity or windfall. Hidden money is often transferred under very private circumstances and often with little or no paper trail.
Offering hidden money to cover up an illegal or immoral act can be a very tricky proposition for the abuser. Another interested party could offer the recipient even more money in exchange for the information they still have. The recipient may be offended by the indecent offer to buy their silence and still report the activity to authorities or other interested parties. A hidden money recipient may also decide that they need additional funds to remain silent. Thus, the recipient of hidden money can easily become a blackmailer in their own right.
Hidden money is often used to keep an illegal act or shameful secret hidden from public scrutiny in the media or private scrutiny involving employers or family members. An unfaithful husband might offer silent money to keep news of the affair from reaching the spouse, for example. A drug-addicted celebrity might offer her personal assistant hidden money to keep the media from reporting her behavior, or a corrupt politician might offer hidden money to a staff member who witnesses an indiscretion.
All of these offenders must believe that they have offered enough financial incentive for the recipient to remain silent, no matter who might question them later. Often, however, the threat of imprisonment or heavy fines outweighs the benefits provided by hidden money and the recipient is much more willing to reveal what they know to the proper authorities. This is the final risk one takes when dealing with hidden money or other methods used to buy a person’s silence.
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