Portuguese term (edited): Desvio de dinheiro p�blico...

or public funds

Portuguese term (edited): Desvio de dinheiro p�blico...

Cesar,

If you need a colloquial expression, this is a very suitable solution.

Here is a definition from the Cambridge Int'l Dictionary:

siphon off sth or siphon sth off British, American & Australian, British & Australian syphon off sth or syphon sb/sth off

to **dishonestly take money** from an organization or other supply and use it for a purpose for which it was not intended
"It was later discovered that he had siphoned off 400 million from the company pension fund."

Now, see this example from Transparency International, one of the most important anti-corruption NGOs in the world:

While civil engineering works such as dams, canals, and water schemes all have automatic objective scientific quality norms, the construction of buildings does not, leaving immense scope for **the siphoning off of public funds** at the expense of the common people.
http://www.transparency.org/newsletters/2001.2/reports.html

Good luck!

Portuguese term (edited): Desvio de dinheiro p�blico...

mal.ver.sar
[mawvers'ar] v. to misuse, embezzle

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Note added at 8 hrs 21 mins (2005-05-18 10:24:33 GMT)
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dipping sticky fingers into the treasury pot

Sticky Fingers at the Justice Department and US Customs
... Department of the Treasury US Customs Service 3 Jun 1996 ENF 2-02 RR:IT:PE 631697 TJS. Charles Hayes c/o Special Agent in Charge US Customs Service ...
www.orlingrabbe.com/customs.htm

Henry Thornton
... carefully the possibility of political sticky fingers wanting their pet ... and the Treasury’s discussion paper Australia’s Demographic Challenges in ...
www.henrythornton.com/article.asp?article_id=3273

Forbes.com: Make the IRS Share Your Pain
... If your broker gets sticky fingers, that\'s theft. But the Treasury recently warned taxpayers that--rumors to the contrary--they can\'t deduct a drop in ...
www.forbes.com/forbes/2004/0607/197_print.html

PBS Watch: December 2004
... The politician\'s hand has sticky fingers and is quicker than the voter\'s eye. There is a Social Security treasury account, referred to as the \"Social ...
pbswatch.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_pbswatch_archive.html

NFIB: Small Business Focus -- 170
... It\'s unfortunate that they must also keep a wary eye on their state\'s treasury, fearing the sticky fingers of politicians who give the nod to every .
www.businessforum.com/nfib170.html