I searched for some example sentences, to make sure I get the conotation and use of *foul play* in the English language correct (because I'm no English native speaker) and found > She is still missing, and the police now suspect that she may have been a victim of foul play and >There is no evidence of foul play at the [Learner's Dictionary][1]. This sounds like the expression is also used in official news in e.g. a newspaper and not only in colloquial language. In the given context one of the following German expressions is usually used: > Verbrechen, Straftat, Delikt, Gewalttat The translation for the first example sentence could be: > Sie wird immer noch vermisst und die Polizei vermutet nun, dass sie Opfer eines Verbrechens geworden sein könnte. and the second example sentence in German: > Es gibt keine Anzeichen einer Straftat. [1]: http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/foul%20play