What was the credit mobiliar?

The Crédit Mobilier was a French investment bank founded in 1852, primarily involved in financing railway construction. It played a significant role in the expansion of rail networks in France and later became a model for similar institutions worldwide. Notably, it was implicated in a major political scandal in the United States during the 1870s, involving corrupt practices in the financing of the Union Pacific Railroad. The scandal highlighted issues of corporate influence in politics and led to significant public outcry.