In Fraudville, players will take on a role of elected council members, scheming to siphon the city's budget for personal fortune and prestige. While making money is easy, getting too greedy can trigger a corruption scandal, forcing someone to take the fall. With only four years in office, make your moves wisely!
Players take turns proposing city projects. These can be funded collectively by bidding facedown cards as investments. Once bids are revealed, if enough funds are raised, the player with the highest bid takes the credit. Any surplus is siphoned from the budget and shared among all contributors.
Later, players can use their earnings to buy fortune, which grants prestige but comes with annual taxes. Mismanaging cash flow might force players to sell their hard-earned assets for peanuts—or lose prestige in disgrace.
The game ends after four years or when the city’s budget is depleted. In the latter case, a corruption scandal unfolds, and the greediest players are arrested for their crimes.