Hush money

Hush money is an informal term for financial incentives or rewards offered in exchange for not divulging information.

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Hush money is different than blackmail, which is a type of threat made by someone who has compromising information about someone else. In the case of hush money the person who does not want the information divulged approaches the person who knows it.

Related Topics:
Blackmail - Threat

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Hush money can be offered for both criminal and non-criminal reasons, though the term is used more often in criminal situations, or in a derogatory sense.

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Some notable examples:

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Michael Jackson was alleged to give some of his accusers hush money in exchange for keeping their accusations private.

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Richard Nixon aides were convicted of giving hush money to burglars involved in the Watergate scandal.

Related Topics:
Richard Nixon - Watergate scandal

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Some characterize out of court settlements such as those made in the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal as a type of hush money.

Related Topics:
Settlements - Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal

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Hush Money is also the title of:

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• a 1921 silent film
• a 1931 comedy/drama featuring Myrna Loy
• a 1999 mystery novel by Robert B. Parker.