Legal Definitions - malefactor

A malefactor is an individual who has committed a crime or engaged in wrongdoing, particularly an act that causes harm or violates the law. It refers to someone who is a criminal or a wrongdoer.

Here are some examples illustrating the term:

• Imagine a scenario where a former employee, out of spite, hacks into their old company's computer system and deletes critical data. This individual would be considered a malefactor because their actions constitute a criminal act of sabotage and data destruction, causing significant harm to the business.

• Consider a person who orchestrates a large-scale fraud scheme, convincing many people to invest in a non-existent company and then absconding with their money. This individual is a malefactor, as they have committed a serious financial crime by intentionally deceiving and stealing from others.

• In a historical context, if a group of bandits regularly ambushed travelers on a trade route, stealing their goods and sometimes causing injury, each member of that group would be referred to as a malefactor. Their repeated acts of robbery and violence against innocent people clearly define them as wrongdoers and criminals.