A general term for a commercial business that sells goods or services
The crime of obtaining money or a financial advantage by intentional deception, such as in the Enron scandal.
Fraud
An officer of a company appointed to manage its day-to-day business affairs and make strategic decisions, a role held by people like Indra Nooyi at PepsiCo.
Director
A legal shield that protects a shareholder's personal assets (like their house or car) from being taken to pay the company's debts.
Limited liability
It is a mandatory, one-time government charge for registering a new business entity.
Incorporation fee
The simplest business vehicle, where one person directly owns and runs the business
Sole proprietorship
The fraudulent taking of personal property by someone to whom it was entrusted, like a treasurer stealing funds from a company's bank account.
Embezzlement
A type of lawyer in the UK who provides legal advice and prepares documents.
Solicitor
An organization, such as a corporation, that the law treats as having rights and responsibilities separate from its owners, allowing it to enter contracts and own property.
Legal entity
A legal statement signed by all initial shareholders agreeing to form the company andstating purposes of the company.
Memorandum of association
A business vehicle where two or more individuals, like the co-founders of Hewlett-Packard (Hewlett and Packard), share the profits, risks, and management.
Partnership
The illegal act of deliberately not paying taxes owed, such as failing to report cash income to the tax authorities
Tax evasion
An individual appointed to act on behalf of another, a company, for example
Agent
A real, living human being, such as Elon Musk or Taylor Swift, who has legal rights and responsibilities from birth.
Individual person
The official documents required by law to be filed with a respective authority, such as the IN01 form used to incorporate a company.
Statutory forms
A company like BP or Shell whose shares are traded freely on the stock market and can be bought by the general public.
PLC (Public Limited Company)
The criminal process of making large amounts of money generated by a serious crime, like drug trafficking, appear to have come from a legitimate source.
Money laundering
A professional who prepares financial statements, ensures tax compliance, and advises on financial strategy
Accountant
The legal structure or entity used to conduct commercial activities, ranging from a simple food truck owned by one person to a multinational corporation like Amazon.
Business vehicle
The internal rulebook of a company, detailing how directors are appointed, how shares are transferred, and how meetings are conducted.
Articles of association
The United Kingdom's executive agency responsible for incorporating companies, registering company information, and making that information available to the public.
Companies House
When you sign someone else's name on a cheque it constitutes this crime
Forgery
A group of elected individuals who represent shareholders and oversee the activities of a company or organization
Board
The legal responsibility of a sole proprietor to pay all of the business's debts, potentially forcing them to sell personal possessions to cover a lawsuit or loan default.
Unlimited liability
The official legal document that confirms a company exists as a separate legal entity and includes its name and registration number.
Certificate of incorporation