(informal) A shrewd, and often unscrupulous, person who advances his own interests by scheming; a hustler; political or commercial shady operator.
1990, Ed Magnuson and Hays Gorey, "You Sold Your Office ," Time, 26 Nov.:Seated at separate tables to underscore their differing levels of involvement with indicted savings and loan wheeler-dealer Charles Keating, the five were fighting to regain reputations earned in a lifetime of public service.
