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Bagman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term bagman (or bag man) has different meanings in different countries.

One group of definitions centers on the idea of traveling. In British usage, "bagman" is a term for a traveling salesman, first known from 1808.[1] In Australian usage, it can mean a tramp or homeless man.[2][3]

However, many other definitions center around money. People involved in political fundraising, soliciting donations, or otherwise involved in the financial side of a political campaign may be referred to as a bagman. This usage has led to an expansion of meaning to include those who solicit bribes for public officials.[4][1]

In organized crime, a bagman may be involved in protection rackets or the numbers game, collecting or distributing the money involved. When acting as an intermediary in such activities, a bagman may also be called a delivery boy or running man, and may receive a fraction of the money collected.[1][5][6][7][8] Journalist Jack Shafer defines "bag man" as a slang term "for criminals who perform deliveries and run errands for other criminals".[9] In criminal operations involving disbursements of cash as illegal payments for some service, a bagman delivers the money, often cash, to the recipient, such as Fred LaRue in the Watergate scandal.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Definition of BAGMAN". Definition of Bagman by Merriam-Webster. 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  2. ^ "Definition of bagman". www.dictionary.com. 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  3. ^ "bagman (noun) definition and synonyms". Macmillan Dictionary. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  4. ^ "Bagman". Lexico Dictionaries. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  5. ^ "Nigel Wright's role as party bagman deserves scrutiny: McQuaig". Toronto Star. 4 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Iran and Argentina: The Defectors' Tale: O'Grady". The Wall Street Journal. 22 March 2015.
  7. ^ "Inside the Cultish Dreamworld of Augusta National". The New Yorker. 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  8. ^ Higgins, Jack; Robinson, Patrick (2019-10-31). "Bagman definition and meaning". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  9. ^ Shafer, Jack (18 April 2013). "Shameless paper in mindless fog". Reuters Blogs. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013.