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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Paris
04 February 2008
Embattled French bank Societe Generale faces new worries with a trial opening Monday in Paris over a vast money laundering1 scandal that took place several years ago. The trial implicates2 staff and the bank itself, which is still reeling over a massive trading loss.
The trial involves a vast check cashing scam stretching from France to Israel that took place between 1996 and 2002. Four banks and more than 130 people are among the accused, including Societe Generale and its chairman Daniel Bouton. France's third largest bank captured international attention in recent weeks over a separate scandal involving apparent trader fraud that has cost Societe Generale more than $7 billion.
Three other banks have also been charged in the check fraud scandal. The trial is expected to last until July.
Prosecutors3 charge that checks trafficked from France were cleared in money exchange offices or banks in Israel and later repatriated4 to France. The banks are accused of contributing to money laundering and profiting from the deals. They all deny the charges.
The trial comes as French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde presented a report Monday on Societe Generale's massive loss, which has been blamed on a rogue5 trader. Lagarde told a news conference the bank's internal controls had not worked.
So far, Societe Generale's top executives - including chairman Bouton - have not lost their job over the trading scam. In a recent interview on Radio France, Bouton argued he should remain on the job.
Bouton said Societe Generale's board had asked him to stay at the helm to weather the banking6 storm - and it was his duty to do so.
But some experts believe Bouton's tenure7 may not last for long. Meanwhile, there are rumors8 of a takeover of Societe Generale, with two French banks eyeing a possible bid.
1 laundering | |
n.洗涤(衣等),洗烫(衣等);洗(钱)v.洗(衣服等),洗烫(衣服等)( launder的现在分词 );洗(黑钱)(把非法收入改头换面,变为貌似合法的收入) | |
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2 implicates | |
n.牵涉,涉及(某人)( implicate的名词复数 );表明(或意指)…是起因 | |
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3 prosecutors | |
检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 ); 告发人; 起诉人; 公诉人 | |
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4 repatriated | |
v.把(某人)遣送回国,遣返( repatriate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5 rogue | |
n.流氓;v.游手好闲 | |
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6 banking | |
n.银行业,银行学,金融业 | |
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7 tenure | |
n.终身职位;任期;(土地)保有权,保有期 | |
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8 rumors | |
n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷 | |
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