How exposing anonymous companies could cut down on crime - Global Witness

譯者: Ann Chen 審譯者: Max Chern

For many of us,

我們多數人

a typical day involves interactions with hundreds of companies.

平常一天當中 都會和幾百家的公司有些互動

Buying their goods, using their services,

買它們的產品 用它們提供的服務

even wearing their names.

甚至穿印有公司名字的服飾

Corporations and companies

企業以及公司

have become such a familiar part of the modern landscape

已經變成現代社會常見的景象

that it's easy to forget they're artificial entities

很容易讓人忘記它們是人設的機構

created to allow real people to do business.

用來讓人們從事商業行為的

But there are some types of companies

但有些類型的公司

that aren't engaged in any business at all.

根本不是從事商業活動

Instead, these anonymous companies

事實上，這些匿名公司

exist mainly to disguise people doing things

主要用來掩飾人們從事

they'd rather not have the public know about.

不想讓大眾知道的勾當

And these people go to great lengths to hide any links between their names

這些人竭盡所能隱匿 他們和他們所持有的

and the companies they own.

公司之間的關連

The life of an anonymous company

一間匿名公司

usually begins in what's known as a secrecy jurisdiction,

常開設於一個允許保密的管轄地區

a place whose laws allow new companies to be registered

這地方的法律允許在登記新公司時

with little disclosure about who owns or controls them.

只要公司持有人或控制者 揭露少許資料即可

Some may simply not require collecting that information.

有些根本乾脆不需要這些資料

Others may collect it,

有些可能會收取資料

but make it nearly inaccessible to anyone else.

但讓其他人幾乎難以取得

And the lack of incentive to verify companies' real owners

況且缺少想去查證 公司真正持有人的誘因

makes it easy for people to cover their tracks.

因而讓人們易於掩飾他們的行蹤

For example, someone may register a company in the name of a relative,

例如，在登記公司時可用他親戚的名字

an associate,

或同事的名字

or even a nominee director

甚至是董事代理人

who acts on instruction from the company's actual owner

此人是奉公司真正持有人的指令行事

while keeping their name confidential.

並保守持有人的身份機密

Once registered, a company can do many of the same things as a human being,

一旦登記完成，公司能做 一個人所能做的同樣事情

like opening bank accounts,

像是開銀行帳戶

buying and owning assets,

購買及擁有資產

and transferring money.

以及轉帳

What's more, it can be listed as the owner of other companies,

此外，它可以是其它公司的持有人

including ones opened in places with stricter disclosure rules.

包括在對揭露身份要求 較嚴格的地區所設立的公司

This allows someone to create a complex world-wide chain of ownership

這讓人能創造一連串複雜 且遍及全球的所有權

that can take years to unravel.

需費時多年去破解

A company based in the U.S.

一間位於美國的公司

may be wholly owned by another one in Liechtenstein,

可能被另一間在列支敦斯登 的公司所完全持有

which is owned in turn by one in the British Virgin Islands.

而後者又被一間在 英屬維京群島登記的公司所持有

And an anonymous company can be transferred to a new owner at any time

一間匿名公司可在任何時候 轉給一個新的持有人

with no public record of the change.

而不需要對外公開這個改變

So why all the anonymity?

到底匿名有何用？

Defenders of financial secrecy argue that wealthy individuals need it

財務保密的擁護者辯稱富豪們需要它

to avoid intrusive media attention

為了避免媒體關注的侵擾

and threats to personal security.

和個人安全的威脅

But while this may sometimes be justified,

這有時可能是有道理的

anonymous companies play a role in almost every type of economic crime,

但匿名公司幾乎和 各種經濟犯罪都有關係

including many major corruption cases.

包括許多重大的貪汚案件

They are used by corporations evading taxes,

它們被用在公司逃漏稅

rogue governments skirting sanctions,

狡詐的政府逃避制裁

terrorists buying arms,

恐怖份子購買軍火

and dictators financing wars.

以及獨裁者資助戰爭

Organized crime groups launder their profits through anonymous companies.

有組織的犯罪集團透過匿名公司洗錢

Corrupt government officials award valuable contracts

貪汚的政府官員將極有價值的大生意

to corporations they secretly own.

贈予幕後老闆是他自己的公司

International oligarchs with criminal connections or questionable pasts

與犯罪有關的或有可疑記錄的 國際寡頭政治執政者

have used anonymous companies to discretely buy luxury apartments

利用匿名公司秘密地購買許多

in cities like London and New York City,

位於倫敦及紐約等城市裡的豪宅

keeping them as safe stores of wealth.

作為財富的保險庫

And even when criminals are convicted,

然而即使這些罪犯被定罪了

their anonymously held assets

他們的匿名資產

may be difficult for authorities to locate or seize,

也很難讓當局找出地點或扣押

making it harder for victims to be compensated.

致使受害者難以得到賠償

Efforts are now underway to chip away at these crime-enabling mechanisms.

現在許多的努力正朝向 削減這些允許犯罪的機制

International authorities and NGOs

一些國際權威機構及非政府組織

have called for requiring companies to state who ultimately makes their decisions

已呼籲要求公司聲明 它們的最後決策者是誰

and benefits from their assets.

以及資產的最後受益者是誰

But while progress is being made,

雖然一切正在進行

international cooperation has been difficult to achieve,

但國際合作卻不易達成

as governments that profit from registering anonymous companies

因為那些政府受益於 在當地登記的匿名公司

are reluctant to lose business.

不願意流失生意

And some of the most popular places for this practice

一些最常見的匿名公司登記地點

are located not on remote, tropical tax shelters,

不是遠在熱帶的避稅天堂

but within the same advanced nations which claim to be leading the fight

而是近在這些聲明要領導

for global financial transparency.

全球財務透明化的先進國家

But still, it's a fight worth fighting.

但是，這仍是一場值得打的仗

Closing the legal loopholes that enable anonymous companies

關閉這授予匿名公司 許可証的法律漏洞

would help us cut down on corruption and illegal activity.

能夠幫助減少貪腐及非法活動

It would also allow us, as the general public,

也讓我們這些普羅大眾

to better understand the flow of enormous sums of money

更了解那些巨額款項的流向

that impact politics, our daily lives, and the health of our world.

而那些正衝擊著我們的 政治、日常生活及世界的健全