Is Collusion a Crime?
Let's say you are playing a card game with friends. You must be the first to run out of cards to win the game. As each of you draw cards and play the ones in your hands, one player seems destined to win.
They are down to one or two cards. You look over at the other player who, like you, has not fared that well. You agree to cooperate in an attempt to foil the player that is close to winning. Whether your strategy works, many outside observers would claim your actions were unfair or akin to cheating.
This is a benign example of colluding with someone. Based on its Latin roots, collusion means "playing together." But the term collusion means different things in different contexts. It often refers to illegal or at least unethical acts committed by two or more individuals. The media may use the term to describe certain illegal acts, but is collusion itself a crime?
Subversive strategies to win a card game may not be illegal. Still, other forms of collusion could show the presence of criminal intent.
Definitions and Meanings
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines collusion:
Generally collusion is a
- Secret cooperation
- For an illegal or dishonest purpose.
Black's Law Dictionary defines collusion in a more legalistic way:
Collusion is
- A deceitful agreement or compact between two or more persons,
- For the one party to bring an action against the other
- For some evil purpose,
- As to defraud a third party of his right.
The word collusion is not a legal term in criminal law.
- There's no criminal charge called collusion.
- The term “collusion” does not necessarily signal a criminal offense.