在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

兴旺的伦敦地产：赃款庇护所

Billions of dollars of so-called "dirty money" from the proceeds of crime, especially from Russia, are being laundered¹ through the London property market, according to anti-corruption activists⁴. The British government has pledged to crack down on the practice.

据反腐活动人士称，数亿万美元的“赃款”正在通过伦敦房地产市场清洗，尤其是来自俄罗斯的赃款。政府已经承诺要打击此类犯罪。

During the past five years, prime London property has risen in value by 42 percent, and campaigners say it is partly fueled by "dirty" money from the proceeds of crime.

在过去的五年中，伦敦黄金地段的地产价值上涨了42％。反腐活动人士说，“赃款”是刺激房价飞升的原因之一，犯罪者正在通过购买房地产洗钱。

In a recent British television program titled "From Russia With Cash," anti-corruption activist³ Roman Borisovich posed as a Russian minister looking to buy property with stolen money while visiting several real estate agents in central London. Speaking to VOA via Skype, he described what happened.

在最近的一期名为《来自俄罗斯的现金》的电视节目中，反腐败活动人士罗曼·鲍里索维奇假扮俄罗斯政府部长试图用盗用的赃款购买地产，并走访了伦敦市中心的几家房地产中介。他通过Skype接受VOA采访，描述了事情的经过。

“They were all eager to proceed," he said. "Even when I was telling them that the money was meant for the procurement⁵ of drugs [medicines] and I stole the money, and obviously sick people were deprived of health care. And they could not care less.”

他说：“他们都迫切地想要继续交易，即使当我告诉他们，这些钱原本是该用于采购药物，是我挪用了资金，显然这剥夺了病人们的医疗。他们一点也不在乎。“

All the agents suggested buying the properties through offshore⁶ companies to offer anonymity⁷ to the buyer. One proposed exploiting tax havens⁸ in Cyprus and the British dependency of Jersey⁹ to set up a so-called "shell company."

所有的房地产经纪人都建议通过离岸公司购买地产，这样买方不必实名购买。其中一个建议利用在塞浦路斯和英国皇家属地泽西岛的避税所设立一个所谓的“空壳公司”。

“And this particular agent was volunteering to put us in front of a Jersey financiers to put the trust together, and a Cypriot lawyer to put everything else together,” said Borisovich.

鲍里索维奇说：“这位经纪人主动提出愿意把我们介绍到泽西的金融业者面前，以便共设一个信托金，还有一位塞浦路斯的律师负责其余的流程。”

Government figures show $191 billion worth of property in Britain is owned by offshore companies. Speaking on a trip Tuesday to Singapore, Prime Minister David Cameron said most were legitimate¹⁰ businesses, but accepted there were problems.

政府数据显示，离岸公司持有英国1910亿美金的房地产。周二，在新加坡访问的英国首相戴维·卡梅伦说，大部分离岸公司是合法的企业， 但他承认存在问题。

“We need to stop corrupt² officials or organized criminals using anonymous¹¹ shell companies to invest their ill-gotten gains in London property without being tracked down,” he said.

卡梅伦说：“我们需要阻止腐败官员和犯罪团伙利用匿名空壳公司，将他们的不义之财投资进伦敦地产，还不被追查。”

The government has been aware of the laundering¹² allegations for years, says Justin Urquhart Stewart of London-based Seven Investment Management.

分析人士说，政府已经意识到这些洗钱的指控长达多年了，塞文投资管理(Seven Investment Management)的贾斯丁·厄克特·斯图尔特说：

“This is dirty money, coming from crime, maybe coming from terrorism, so this needs to be dealt with now,” he said.

 “这是脏钱，来自犯罪，也可能来自恐怖主义，这个问题急需处理。“

Under British law, real estate agents are to report any suspicions that the cash used to buy property has been obtained through criminal means; but, many agents say they should not be expected to detect sophisticated fraud.

根据英国法律，如果购买房产的现金有任何通过犯罪手段获得的嫌疑，房地产经纪商有义务报告。然而很多房地产商说，不应该指望由他们来侦破复杂的欺诈行为。