loan shark specializing in debt consolidation
A colloquial term for a moneylender who refinances or consolidates multiple debts, often with high interest. The word carries a negative, exploitative connotation.
His debts piled up, and he ended up turning to a loan shark who consolidates debts.
Don't be taken in by the sweet talk of a debt-consolidation loan shark.
闇金 is an illegal, unregistered loan shark charging exorbitant interest, whereas 整理屋 may operate in a gray area, specializing in debt restructuring rather than just lending.
Compound of 整理 (せいり, 'arrangement, consolidation') and 屋 (や, 'shop, dealer'), literally 'consolidation dealer'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely emerged in colloquial Japanese to describe moneylenders who offer to refinance multiple debts.