Skulduggery or skullduggery, sculduggery,scullduggery \

[skuhl-duhg-uh-ree] - plural skulduggeries.

Noun

1. dishonorable proceedings; mean dishonesty or trickery: bribery, graft, and other such skulduggery.

2. an instance of dishonest or deceitful behaviour; trick.

Quote
Some large piece of skulduggery had gone on today, and he itched to

know what it was, the more so because he felt so close to understanding it.

Ken Follett, Paper Money, 1977

Origin

Skulduggery is an Americanism that arose in the early 1700’s. Beyond that,

its origin is uncertain, though etymologists suggest that it may be related

to the Scots word sculduddery meaning "fornication."