In old documents, 暗者 can refer to a swindler.
prostitute in a clandestine brothel (Edo period)
Rare kanji spelling; the word itself is archaic and seldom encountered in modern Japanese.
Alternate rare kanji spelling; same reading and meaning as 暗者.
The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 暗 (dark) and 者 (person) suggest a person of the shadows, fitting both the prostitute and imposter meanings.