Criminal VAT agenda brings profit (9)
I believe the answer is:
advantage
'profit' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'criminal vat agenda' is the wordplay.
'criminal' indicates an anagram.
'vat'+'agenda'='vatagenda'
'vatagenda' anagrammed gives 'ADVANTAGE'.
'brings' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for advantage that I've seen before include "Privilege" , "More favorable position" , "Benefit - superior position" , "First point scored after deuce in tennis" , "Use" .)