VOA常速英语2008年-Embattled French Bank Faces New Worries as Mone

By Lisa Bryant
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）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 implicates   

n.牵涉，涉及（某人）( implicate的名词复数 )；表明（或意指）…是起因

参考例句：

• This confession implicates numerous officials in the bribery scandal. 这一供认会使许多官员牵连到受贿的丑事中。 来自辞典例句
• Did you tell him that the recording implicates President Logan in Palmer's assassination? 你有没有告诉他录音显示洛根总统跟帕尔默被杀有关？ 来自电影对白

3 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。

4 repatriated   

v.把（某人）遣送回国，遣返( repatriate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The refugees were forcibly repatriated. 难民被强制遣送回国。
• Ancient artworks were repatriated from the US to Greece. 古代艺术品从美国遣送回希腊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

6 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

7 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

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

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》