Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to pretend (for criminal purposes); to defraud.

1887		Sporting Times 5 Nov. 6/1: Mossy is a real schlemiel, though he tries to schlenter he’s so mighty froom.
1899		A. Binstead Houndsditch Day by Day 125: Me, Solly Josephs, and ‘Sugar’ Cohen, all a-shlenterin’ ve vhos Goyim. [Ibid.] 166: Shlenterin’ Goody out o’ tventy couter to take ’er to ’Olland.

2. (S.Afr.) to obtain by underhand means.

1970		informant in DSAE (1996).
1982		Star 31 Mar. n.p.: Schlenter – to organise something in an underhanded way, to pull strings [DSAE].