Kickback

A form of bribery in which a person who is in a position to steer business, a contract, or a favorable decision toward another party receives a portion of the resulting profit or payment in return, typically paid secretly and often disguised as a legitimate fee, commission, or expense to conceal its true purpose. Kickback schemes are frequently documented in government procurement and private-sector purchasing, where an employee or official with authority over vendor selection accepts payment from a vendor in exchange for awarding or continuing a contract, and many jurisdictions prosecute kickbacks under general bribery or fraud statutes, or under a specific anti-kickback statute such as the United States Anti-Kickback Act governing federal contracting.