grifter

American  

[grif-ter] / ˈgrɪf tər /

noun

Slang.

1. a person who operates a side show at a circus, fair, etc., especially a gambling attraction.

2. a swindler, dishonest gambler, or the like.

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Etymology

Origin of grifter

First recorded in 1910–15; grift + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Recently, that has been our community colleges, where millions in federal student aid has been lost to grifters who use bots to sign up for classes, receive government money to help with school, then disappear.

From Los Angeles Times

Costs for Minnesota’s Medicaid housing program, initially estimated at $2.6 million a year, ballooned to $104 million last year as it became a fund for grifters.

From The Wall Street Journal

An increasing number of influencers, crypto grifters, “pick-up artists” and gambling websites have come to realize that male isolation creates incredible profit opportunities.

From Salon

He was a grifter who spent your grandmother’s money, tried to spend your inheritance and his wife is continuing that not-so-grand tradition.

From MarketWatch

Below that, thousands of comments tumbled in, calling him a terrorist and a grifter.

From Salon