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. In Australian usage, it can mean a tramp or homeless man.
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.
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. Journalist Jack Shafer defines "bag man" as a slang term "for criminals who perform deliveries and run errands for other criminals". 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
References
- ^ "Definition of BAGMAN". Definition of Bagman by Merriam-Webster. 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- "Definition of bagman". www.dictionary.com. 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- "bagman (noun) definition and synonyms". Macmillan Dictionary. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- "Bagman". Lexico Dictionaries. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- "Nigel Wright's role as party bagman deserves scrutiny: McQuaig". Toronto Star. 4 June 2013.
- "Iran and Argentina: The Defectors' Tale: O'Grady". The Wall Street Journal. 22 March 2015.
- "Inside the Cultish Dreamworld of Augusta National". The New Yorker. 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- Higgins, Jack; Robinson, Patrick (2019-10-31). "Bagman definition and meaning". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- Shafer, Jack (18 April 2013). "Shameless paper in mindless fog". Reuters Blogs. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013.
