Barrator

/bəˈreɪtər/ noun

Definition

A person, especially a sea captain, who commits barratry; someone engaged in deliberate fraud or wrongdoing aboard a vessel.

Etymology

From Old French barat (fraud/deception) plus -or suffix. The term became formalized in maritime law to describe specific criminal conduct aboard ships.

Kelly Says

Barrators were so infamous that medieval maritime insurance was actually invented partly to protect against them—insurance exists because sailors kept sinking their own ships for profit!

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