cook the books

The phrase "cook the books" is an idiomatic expression that refers to fraudulent or manipulative practices used to alter or falsify financial records, typically for the purpose of making a company's financial performance appear better than it actually is. This can involve inflating revenues, understating expenses, manipulating accounting methods, or misrepresenting financial information in order to deceive stakeholders such as investors, creditors, or regulators. It is considered an unethical and illegal activity that can lead to severe consequences for individuals or organizations involved in such practices.