scandal = ? I answered with followings:

I scandal is a violation of society's norms by someone you would not expect to betray society's trust.

In case one, it is not just a "transgression", it is a betrayal of society for a public official to use his position to steal.

In case two, scandal does not equal slander. It says "I heard something morally questionable about your friend." It could be that they are having an affair, that they are engaged in crime, etc.

In the third case, it is not just indignation. A regular crime does not cause a "scandal". For it to cause a scandal, the person committing the crime would have to be someone held in high esteem by the community, someone you would never expect to commit a crime.

Thank you.