A criminaloid (from the word "criminal" and suffix -oid, meaning criminal-like) is a person who projects a respectable, upright façade in an attempt to conceal a criminal personality.
This type, first defined by Cesare Lombroso in the later editions of his 1876 work The Criminal Man, unlike ordinary criminals, criminaloids enjoy the respect of society and, because they often establish connections with the government and the law, they are less likely to meet with opposition.
Due to their respectable standing, they generally enjoy greater prosperity than the average criminal, and have an automatic advantage over their more conscientious colleagues.
[citation needed] From the Encyclopedia of White Collar and Corporate Crime: "The key to the criminaloid is not evil impulse, but moral insensibility.
The criminaloid practices a protective impersonation of the good.