Criminal breach of trust
Updated 2026-09-29
Criminal breach of trust, often shortened to CBT, is an offence under the Penal Code where a person entrusted with property or money dishonestly misappropriates it or uses it in a way contrary to that trust, instead of handling it as agreed.
This differs from cheating, which typically involves deception to obtain property in the first place. CBT usually involves someone who was legitimately given control of money or assets and then betrays that position, such as a manager, agent, or platform operator.
CBT is a criminal matter investigated by the police, separate from any civil claim a victim may bring to recover the money through the courts.
When it matters
If a scam involved someone who was supposed to be managing your funds, such as an investment manager, this offence may be relevant to a police report.
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