Firm understood to dismiss leader involved in crime (9)

I believe the answer is:

complicit

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'involved in crime' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I can't tell whether this works.

'firm understood to dismiss leader' is the wordplay.
'firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'understood' becomes 'implicit' (similar in meaning).
'to dismiss leader' means to remove the first letter (I've seen 'dismissing leader' mean this).
'implicit' with its first letter taken away is 'mplicit'.
'co'+'mplicit'='COMPLICIT'

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(Other definitions for complicit that I've seen before include "Sharing guilt" , "Being party to a crime" , "Conniving" , "Conspiring in illegal activity" , "Involved with others in illegality" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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