2006年VOA标准英语-Arrests Made in Coca Cola Corporate Spying Case

By George Dwyer
Washington, DC
07 July 2006
 
watch CocaCola Secrets report
 

Coca-Cola   
  
U.S. federal prosecutors¹ have charged three people, including a former employee, in connection with an alleged² plot to steal trade secrets from the Coca-Cola Company, and sell the information to Coke's chief rival, PepsiCo.

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Federal prosecutors in the southern U.S. city of Atlanta say Coca-Cola executives learned of the plot from Pepsi. The rival soft drink company provided Coke officials with a letter from an individual purporting³ to be a senior Coca-Cola employee. 

Ira Winkler   
  
The letter offered Pepsi access to "very detailed⁴ and confidential⁵ information." That information might have provided Pepsi with competitive advantages, says corporate⁶ security analyst⁷ Ira Winkler. "Pepsi turned away the potential to save hundreds of millions of dollars easily."

Coke contacted the FBI several weeks ago. Agents began a detailed undercover operation. The suspects were picked up this week (Wednesday) at their homes. They have been charged with fraud as well as with stealing and selling trade secrets. Federal prosecutors say the suspects peddled⁸ their stolen information, and a sample of a new soft drink, in the hope of raising as much as $1.5 million. 

 
David Nahmias 
  
The potential damage to Coke is incalculable, said United States Attorney David Nahmias. "Some of this information is as important to its holder⁹ -- in this case Coca Cola Company -- as classified information is to the government."

Pepsi says it simply did what any responsible company would do.

1 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

2 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

3 purporting   

v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Cindy Adams (Columnist) : He's purporting to be Mother Teresa. 辛迪？亚当斯（专栏作家）：他无意成为德兰修女。 来自互联网
• To prohibit certain practices purporting to be sales by auction. 本条例旨在对看来是以拍卖方式作出的售卖中某些行为予以禁止。 来自互联网

4 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

5 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

6 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 peddled   

（沿街）叫卖( peddle的过去式和过去分词 )； 兜售； 宣传； 散播

参考例句：

• He has peddled the myth that he is supporting the local population. 他散布说他支持当地群众。
• The farmer peddled his fruit from house to house. 那个农民挨家挨户兜售他的水果。

9 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。