paymaster
/ˈpeɪˌmæstər/
noun
- A person or organization that pays money to others, especially wages or salaries.
- He worked as a paymaster for the construction crew.
- The company's paymaster issued the weekly checks on Friday.
- The government is the largest paymaster in the region.
- A person or group that secretly funds or controls an activity, often with influence over decisions.
- The journalist revealed the paymaster behind the protest movement.
- The rebels relied on a foreign paymaster for weapons and supplies.
- The political campaign was accused of hiding its true paymaster.