cook the books

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cook the books (informal)

to record false information in the accounts of an organization, especially in order to steal money (usually in continuous tenses) One of the directors had been cooking the books and the firm had been losing money for years.

See also: book, cook

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The FBI on Friday arrested two computer programmers allegedly employed by Wall Street conman Bernard Madoff to cook the books in his decades-long, multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme. FBI arrests Madoff computer programmers by AFP / AFP American Edition The FBI on Friday arrested two computer programmers allegedly employed by Wall Street conman Bernard Madoff to cook the books in his decades-long, multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme. FBI arrests Madoff computer programmers by AFP / AFP Global Edition It is also easier in such places for governing parties to cook the books -- although it would be patronizing to imagine that corruption is a problem only in the newer democracies. Editorial: Afghan election by Arab News (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)			contradiction in terms contrary contrary to contrary to popular belief contrast with contribute contribute to control control over control the purse strings convalesce from convenience converge on conversation converse with convert convert from convey convict of convince of convulse with cook cook goose cook out cook the accounts cook the books cook to perfection cook up cooke cooked up cookie cookie-cutter cooking with gas cooky cool cool as a cucumber cool down cool heels cool it Cool it! cool off cool out cool, calm, and collected cooled out cooler heads prevail coop coop up cooperate with coordinate with coot cop			Cook Islands Cook Islands Cook Islands Christian Church Cook Islands Maori Cook Islands Ministry of Agriculture Cook Islands National Council of Women Cook Islands National Party Cook Islands Noni Marketing Ltd. Cook Islands People's Party Cook Islands Trading Corporation Cook Islands Trust and Banking Corporation Cook Islands Workers Association Incorporated Cook Islands/Military Cook Islands/Military Cook Memorial Public Library District cook out cook out Cook Partisan Voting Index Cook Political Report Cook Post Office cook shop Cook stove Cook Strait Cook Strait Cook Strait Tuatara Cook Strait Tuatara Cook Straits Cook Straits Cook Street Project cook the accounts cook the books cook to perfection cook tree cook up cook up cook up cook wrasse Cook's cabbage Cook's cabbage Cook's Continental Timetable Cook's Pest Control Cook's Petrel Cook's tour Cook's tours Cook, Captain James Cook, Captain James Cook, David J. Cook, Ebenezer Cook, Frederick Albert Cook, George Cram Cook, James Cook, James Cook, Joe Cook, Little, Rosenblatt, and Manson Cook, Mount Cook, Peter (Edward) Cook, Peter (Edward) Cook, Sir Joseph Cook, Thomas Cook, Thomas Cook, Will Marion

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