hold the bag背黑锅
Although the four of them robbed the bank with joined efforts, it was Joe who had been left holding the bag.


Dialogue:

Martha: Do you know whats happened to Frank?

Nancy: Not an inkling. Whats happened?

Martha: He was caught stealing a file from a company.

Nancy: Sorry to hear that. He should have mended his steps（注意自己的言行）.

Martha: But the job was engineered by someone else.

Nancy: Did that someone else stand up?

Martha: Nobody likes to face the music（面对惩罚）， of course.

Nancy: So it was Frank who was left holding the bag?

Martha: yeah.