👉 In the context of law and legal terminology, "defraud" refers to a breach or violation of trust by one party. This can include making false statements, lying, withholding information, or intentionally causing harm to another party without their knowledge or consent. It is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions, punishable as much as the crime of theft. The term "defraud" is commonly used in legal contexts and has its roots in ancient Roman law where it was used to describe actions that were considered deceit
