to be in someone's pay

[JarekSteliga]

Is this a valid, existing expression? I could not find it in Internet, so have I "invented" something?


My supposed meaning of "to be in someone's pay" is to be informally / illegally / secrectly remunerated by someone in order to act in accordance with that someone's wishes.

For example:

"I know him and I know it is against his principles, but he will do it anyway. My guess is, he is in the pay of the corporation".

 

[bhaisahab]

It's valid.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Because you mentioned "illegal" and "secret", I would use "he is being paid off by the corporation".