Traders with inside tips made millions in the kinds of illicit schemes that historians say are classic marks of speculative periods.

Associations of reputable bankers or insurers, whose businesses can be jeopardized by the illicit schemes of unlicensed insurers or securities dealers, can be effective allies.

The tale is about a couple of guys who have a bold, illicit scheme they assume will be easy, but it ends up backfiring.

But if Mr. North was being held accountable in one part of town, he was still spinning his raffish, illicit schemes in another.

Later he worked with Michael Kopper, an Enron vice president, to cook up illicit schemes to profit even more from deals.

Mr. Chirac has vehemently denied being involved in illicit schemes to finance his Gaullist political party, going on television twice to do so.

The brain uses Cory to do his bidding, signing checks in Donovan's name, and continuing the magnate's illicit financial schemes.

As part of the conversation, they said, he had uttered the word "Machiavelli," which had been designated as a code to signal the governor's knowledge of the illicit scheme.

He is still incredulous over Reagan's simplistic world view and Oliver North's illicit schemes.

Mr. Chirac has denied involvement in illicit schemes to finance his Gaullist political party.