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Abscam

American  
[ab-skam] / ˈæbˌskæm /

noun

  1. the code name for an FBI investigation (1978–80) of bribery, involving members of Congress.


Etymology

Origin of Abscam

Ab(dul Enterprises Ltd.) + scam, from the name of the business used as a front by the FBI

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Former U.S. congressman was convicted in the Abscam bribery scandal in the late 1970s.

From Seattle Times Dec. 31, 2023

Lawyers for Mr. Jenrette and other politicians ensnared in the Abscam sting argued that they were victims of government entrapment.

From Washington Post Mar. 20, 2023

Scroll forward a decade later into the early 1980s and we get to the FBI sting operation known as Abscam, popularized in the 2013 feature film "American Hustle."

From Salon May 12, 2020

The number exceeds two dozen, going back to the FBI’s Abscam investigation of 1980, which netted seven congressional lawmakers.

From Washington Times Oct. 21, 2018

It’s true that we have had our share of spectacular episodes: the Whiskey Ring and Boss Tweed in the 19th century; Teapot Dome and Abscam in the 20th.

From New York Times Jul. 10, 2018

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