Dejar a alguien colgado de la brocha 

Pictures taken from Googles Images, “Leave someone holding the bag”
Click on the image to watch the video of the song “Holding the bag” by Moe Bandy & Joe Stampley

Meaning:

Not to share the blame with someone who has been accused of doing wrong when it was a group who participated or helped him in the offense.

Pictures taken from Google Images, “Leave someone holding the bag”
Click on the images to watch a news report in which someone was left holding the bag

Origin:

During the 1780´s in America, it was said that a boy was played a trick by his mean friends who sent him to the forest at night with just a bag and a lantern. Arguably, he had been said that the lantern would help him catch a bird which, attracted by the light, would fly straight into the bag. The mischievous friends told their victim that they would join them in the middle of the forest at midnight to help him catch the bird, but in the end, he stayed all night long alone and afraid.

Pictures taken from Google Images
Click on the image to learn more about this idiom in http://www.americanidioms.net

Example:

• A corrupt politician, leader of a union was sent to prison for robbery. He was confident that the union would use its power to set him free, but this never happened. He was left holding the bag.