Why good people commit fraud despite knowing stealing is wrong

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2013, global organizations lost an estimated $3.7 trillion to fraud. This video explores the psychological mechanisms that allow seemingly ethical individuals to justify dishonest actions.

Kelly Richmond Pope examines the 'fraud triangle,' a concept developed by criminologist Donald Cressey. The framework helps explain how the pressure to commit fraud leads people to rationalize unethical decisions in their everyday lives.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• Why one in seven large corporations commits fraud every year
• The most dangerous investment lies within your own social circle
• What infamous scammers can teach us about the mechanics of wealth
• The sophisticated psychology behind why even the most educated investors fall for fraud
• How historical con artists weaponized human trust to orchestrate elaborate financial swindles
• Why our hands often know what we are thinking before we do
• Why some memories stay vivid while others simply vanish
• Why your body's survival mechanism can become a source of damage
• Why your heart doesn't have a standard healing timeline
• Does the unique wiring of your brain dictate your personality?
• Why social isolation is a hidden driver of the opioid crisis
• When healing vocabulary becomes a weapon for social dominance

More in Psychology · More in Ideas & Philosophy · Latest · A–Z · All topics