to talk to you about a problem.

我想與在座各位探討一個問題。

It's a very simple yet devastating problem,

這個問題相當簡單，但危害性巨大，

one that spans the globe

全球各地都有它的蹤跡，

and is affecting all of us.

與我們每個人息息相關。

The problem is

這個問題就是

anonymous companies.

匿名公司。

It sounds like a really dry and technical thing,

聽上去很無聊、很複雜

doesn't it?

對不對？

But anonymous companies are making it difficult

現今的匿名公司卻讓人很難，

and sometimes impossible

有時甚至不可能，

to find out

揪出

the actual human beings responsible

幕後真正的負責人，

sometimes for really terrible crimes.

有時候他們甚至犯下滔天大罪。

So, why am I here talking to all of you?

那麼，我為何要在此 跟各位探討這個問題呢？

Well, I guess I am a lifelong troublemaker

我想我這個人一輩子都愛自找麻煩。

and when my parents taught my twin brother and I

當我雙親教我和雙胞胎哥哥

to question authority,

質疑權威時，

I don't think they knew where it might lead.

我想他們沒料到這會造成什麼後果。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And, they probably really regretted it

他們大概也真後悔了，

during my stroppy teenage years when, predictably,

特別是在我青春叛逆期，想當然爾，

I questioned their authority a lot.

我經常質疑他們的權威。

And a lot of my school teachers

我學校裡的教師

didn't appreciate it much either.

大多都也不欣賞我這點。

You see, since the age of about five

實際上，大概從五歲開始

I've always asked the question, but why?

我就一直愛問，可是為什麼？

But why does the Earth go around the sun?

可是為什麼地球圍著太陽轉？

But why is blood red?

可是為什麼血是紅色？

But why do I have to go to school?

可是為什麼我要去上學？

But why do I have to respect the teachers

可是為什麼我要尊重老師

and authority?

和權威？

And little did I realize

但是我一點都沒意識到

that this question would become the basis

這樣的問題竟然為

of everything I would do.

我日後一切行動打下基礎。

And so it was

大概是在

in my twenties, a long time ago,

我二十多歲時，很久以前的事，

that one rainy Sunday afternoon in North London

在倫敦北部某個下雨的週日下午，

I was sitting with Simon Taylor

我、賽門．泰勒

and Patrick Alley

還有派翠克．艾黎坐在一起。

and we were busy stuffing envelopes

我們當時忙著塞信封

for a mail out in the office of the campaign group

從倡議團體辦公室寄出信件。

where we worked at the time.

我們當時替這倡議團體工作。

And as usual, we were talking about the world's problems.

跟以往一樣， 我們會聊國際上的問題。

And in particular, we were talking about

那次我們談到

the civil war in Cambodia.

柬埔寨內戰。

And we had talked about that many, many times before.

這個話題我們談過很多遍了。

But then suddenly we stopped

但是，突然我們停了下來

and looked at each other

盯著對方，

and said, but why don't we try and change this?

問道：我們為何不嘗試改變這個現狀？

And from that slightly crazy question,

就從這個有點瘋狂的問題之後，

over two decades

二十多年以來，

and many campaigns later,

經歷過多次倡議運動之後，

including alerting the world

這也包括向世界

to the problem of blood diamonds funding war,

警示關於血鑽資助戰爭的問題，

from that crazy question,

自從此瘋狂問題提出，

Global Witness is now an 80-strong team

「全球目擊」現已成為一個 擁有 80 名成員的大型團隊，

of campaigners, investigators, journalists and lawyers.

其中有活動發起人、調查員、記者和律師。

And we're all driven by the same belief,

我們有共同的信念

that change really is possible.

那就是：改變，真的是有可能的。

So, what exactly does Global Witness do?

「全球目擊」到底是做什麼的？

We investigate, we report,

我們調查、報導，

to uncover the people really responsible

以揪出真正需為引發、資助衝突負責的人、

for funding conflict --

從各國人民身上 竊取巨額財富的人，

for stealing millions from citizens around the world,

這也是所謂的搶劫國家，

also known as state looting,

以及需要為破壞環境負責的人。

and for destroying the environment.

然後我們透過積極推廣各種運動 來改變機制。

And then we campaign hard to change the system itself.

我們之所以這樣做，是因為許多國家

And we're doing this because so many of the countries

擁有豐富自然資源，

rich in natural resources

例如石油、鑽石、木材，

like oil or diamonds or timber

而它們的人民多為全世界最窮苦、

are home to some of the poorest

一無所有的人。

and most dispossessed people on the planet.

如今大部分的不公平

And much of this injustice

之所以存在，

is made possible

皆因這些商業行為普遍為世人所接受。

by currently accepted business practices.

而匿名公司，就是其中之一。

And one of these is anonymous companies.

現在我們已經在多項調查中，

Now we've come up against anonymous companies

堅決抵制匿名公司

in lots of our investigations,

譬如，在剛果民主共和國，

like in the Democratic Republic of Congo,

我們揭發了一些秘密交易，

where we exposed how secretive deals

這其中，匿名公司

involving anonymous companies

剝削了

had deprived the citizens

世界上最窮國家的人民，

of one of the poorest countries on the planet

騙取金額上十億美元。

of well over a billion dollars.

這可是該國衛生與教育經費 相加的兩倍。

That's twice the country's health and education budget combined.

在賴比瑞亞，

Or in Liberia,

一個掠奪人民的國際木材公司

where an international predatory logging company

利用幌子公司

used front companies as it attempted to grab

來獲取利比亞大量的珍貴森林資源。

a really huge chunk of Liberia's unique forests.

還有，馬來西亞沙撈越市的政治貪污

Or political corruption in Sarawak, Malaysia,

已導致該國的大量森林資源遭受破壞，

which has led to the destruction of much of its forests.

這也是匿名公司所為。

Well, that uses anonymous companies too.

我們偷拍了那裡前總局長的家庭成員，

We secretly filmed some of the family

他也是名律師，

of the former chief minister and a lawyer

他們確確實實地 告訴我們的便衣調查員

as they told our undercover investigator

他們是如何利用匿名公司

exactly how these dubious deals are done

進行這些可疑勾當。

using such companies.

最可惡的是

And the awful thing is,

現在還有眾多類似的案例

there are so many other examples out there

匿身於各行各業中，

from all walks of life.

這的確是一個天大的醜聞，

This truly is a scandal of epic proportions

就攤在世人眼前。

hidden in plain sight.

無論是殘忍的墨西哥販毒集團

Whether it's the ruthless Mexican drugs cartel,

塞塔斯 (the Zetas)，

the Zetas,

他們一邊利用匿名公司來洗錢，

who use anonymous companies to launder profits

而他們的販毒暴力

while their drugs-related violence

卻在另一邊破壞美洲社區。

is tearing communities apart across the Americas.

有些匿名公司

Or the anonymous company,

收購美國的稅收債權，

which bought up Americans' tax debts,

累積法律費用，

piled on the legal fees

然後只給屋主一個選擇

and then gave homeowners a choice:

要嘛付錢，要嘛失去家園

Pay up or lose your home.

大家想像一下，被威脅要失去家園，

Imagine being threatened with losing your home

有時這不過是為了一筆幾百美元的債務，

sometimes over a debt of just a few hundred dollars,

卻又找不出

and not being able to find out

到底欠的是誰的錢。

who you were really up against.

現在的匿名公司

Now anonymous companies

在抵制制裁方面也有一手。

are great for sanctions busting too.

伊朗政府

As the Iranian government found out

透過一系列的幌子公司

when, through a series of front companies,

在曼哈頓第五大道的中心

it owned a building in the very heart of Manhattan,

擁有一幢大樓，

on Fifth Avenue,

儘管伊朗在接受美國制裁。

despite American sanctions.

以絲絨田徑服著名的橘滋 (Juicy Couture)

And Juicy Couture, home of of the velvet track suit,

以及其他的公司完全不知道

and other companies were the unwitting,

承租的建築所有人是誰。

unknowing tenants there.

這樣的例子舉不勝舉。

There are just so many examples,

歐洲的馬肉醜聞、

the horesemeat scandal in Europe,

義大利的黑手黨，他們幾十年來

the Italian mafia, they've used these companies

一直都用這樣的公司。

for decades.

美國一億聯邦醫療保險詐騙事件、

The $100 million American Medicare fraud,

對全國各地戰爭的軍火供應

the supply of weapons to wars around the world

這其中包括

including those

90 年代東歐的戰爭。

in Eastern Europe in the early '90s.

而這些匿名公司

Anonymous companies

在烏克蘭最近的革命當中

have even come to light

也看得到其蹤影。

in the recent revolution in the Ukraine.

儘管我們和其他人揭露了這麼些案例，

But, for every case that we and others expose

但在目前的體制下

there are so many more that will remain hidden away

類似的案例還有許多，仍是不為人知。

because of the current system.

而事情的真相就是，

And it's just a simple truth

一些人犯了令人髮指的罪行

that some of the people responsible for outrageous crimes,

他們在你、我以及千千萬萬人身上偷竊，

for stealing from you and me

卻不用露面

and millions of others,

對自己的所作所為拒不責任，

they are remaining faceless

並且做起來面不改容心不跳。

and they are escaping accountability

他們利用的就是合法的機制結構。

and they're doing this with ease,

確實，這相當不公平。

and they're doing it using legal structures.

你可能會問：

And really, that is unfair.

匿名公司到底是什麼？

Well, you might well ask,

我也可以設立使用嗎？

what exactly is an anonymous company,

別人真的不會知道我是誰？

and can I really set one up, and use it,

答案是：沒錯，你可以這樣做。

without anyone knowing who I am?

但如果你跟我一樣，

Well, the answer is, yes you can.

你會想先了解其中的內情。

But if you're anything like me,

讓我來說明一下。

you'll want to see some of that for yourself,

首先，你需要想清楚

so let me show you.

你想要把公司設在哪裡。

Well first you need to work out

此時此刻，你可能會想到

where you want to set it up.

某個迷人的熱帶島嶼避稅天堂。

Now, at this point you might be imagining

但事實

one of those lovely tropical island tax havens

很令人震驚，

but here's the thing,

我的家鄉倫敦

shockingly,

沒錯，整個英國

my own hometown, London,

竟是世界上

and indeed the U.K.,

最適宜設立匿名公司的地方之一。

is one of the best places in the world

另外一個更合適的地方

to set up an anonymous company.

很抱歉，就是美國了。

And the other, even better,

大家知道嗎？在美國的一些州

I'm afraid that's America.

建立一個公司

Do you know, in some states across America

所需的身份證明文件

you need less identification

比申請圖書館借書證還少。

to open up a company

譬如說特拉華州

than you do to get a library card,

就是世界上

like Delaware,

最好設立匿名公司的地方之一。

which is one of the easiest places

好吧，我們假設是在美國，

in the world to set up an anonymous company.

也假設是在特拉華州。

Okay, so let's say it's America,

現在你可以簡單的打開網頁

and let's say it's Delaware,

找一家公司服務供應商，

and now you can simply go online

這類公司可以幫助你設立公司。

and find yourself a company service provider.

記住，這所有一切都是 合法的正規商業操作。

These are the companies that can set your one up for you,

這是其中一個，

and remember, it's all legal, routine business practice.

但你還有很多可以選。

So, here's one,

選好之後

but there are plenty of others to choose from.

你再選擇需設立的公司類型，

And having made your choice,

然後填入聯絡資料、姓名、地址。

you then pick what type of company you want

不過大家不用擔心

and then fill in a contact, name and address.

不必填你的真實姓名，

But don't worry,

可以填你律師的姓名、

it doesn't have to be your name.

可以填服務供應商的名字，

It can be your lawyer's

反正這個不對公眾公開。

or your service provider's,

然後填上公司所有人。

and it's not for the public record anyway.

這是關鍵部分

And then you add the owner of the company.

這裡也不必一定填你自己，

Now this is the key part,

因為你可以耍點創意

and again it doesn't have to be you,

因為宇宙廣闊浩渺，

because you can get creative,

有很多代名人供你選擇。

because there is a whole universe out there of nominees

這些代名人

to choose from.

能合法收錢，擔任你公司的所有人。

And nominees are the people that you

要是你不願意讓其他人加入

can legally pay to be your company's owner.

也可以隨便填張三李四，

And if you don't want to involve anyone else,

或者填另外一個公司名。

it doesn't even have to be an actual human being.

最後

It could be another company.

給你公司起個名。

And then finally,

補充點細節，付點錢，

give your company a name

然後，服務供應商

add a few more details and make your payment.

會用幾個小時來處理資料。

And then the service provider

但是你看，

will take a few hours or more to process it.

十分鐘網購的時間

But there you are,

你就可以建立自己的匿名公司。

in 10 minutes of online shopping

這不只是簡單

you can create yourself an anonymous company.

簡單到不行、廉價，

And not only is it easy,

這還是完全合法的。

really, really easy and cheap,

但遊戲還沒結束呢。

it's totally legal too.

也許你想要更匿名一點。

But the fun doesn't have to end there,

這沒有問題，

maybe you want to be even more anonymous.

添加多幾層關係就可以了。

Well, that's no problem either.

上一個公司持有下一個公司，

You can simply keep adding layers,

你可以添加上百層持有關係。

companies owned by companies.

中間牽涉的公司

You can have hundreds of layers

可以遍布世界各國，

with hundreds of companies spread across

如同一張巨型網路，

lots of different countries,

每一層都讓你更增匿名性。

like a giant web,

每一層的添加

each layer adds anonymity.

都讓執法機關及其他人

Each layer makes it more difficult

難以找出真正的所有人。

for law enforcement and others

但這樣做，是誰最終得益？

to find out who the real owner is.

可能是某個公司

But whose interests is this all serving?

也可能是某個人。

It might be in the interests of the company

但是我們這些普羅大眾怎麼辦？

or a particular individual,

至今為止，全球尚未關注

but what about all of us, the public?

是否能繼續如此

There hasn't even been a global conversation yet

濫用匿名公司？

about whether it's okay

這對於我們又意味著什麼？

to misuse companies in this way.

最近，我遇到了一個

And what does it all mean for us?

令我相當痛惜的一個案例。

Well, an example that really haunts me

那是在十年前

is one I came across recently.

在布宜諾斯艾利斯一家夜店

And it's that of a horrific fire

發生的一場大火。

in a nightclub in Buenos Aires

那天晚上是新年前夕。

about a decade ago.

三千名狂歡者

It was the night before New Year's Eve.

其中大部分是青少年

Three thousand very happy revelers,

塞進了原來只能容納一千人的空間。

many of them teenagers,

然後悲劇發生了。

were crammed into a space meant for 1,000.

發生一場火災，

And then tragedy struck,

天花板的塑膠裝飾品慢慢熔化，

a fire broke out

有毒煙霧蔓延了整間夜店，

plastic decorations were melting from the ceiling

人們慌慌逃跑，

and toxic smoke filled the club.

但卻發現一些防火門

So people tried to escape

被鐵鍊鎖住了。

only to find that some of the fire doors

這造成二百多人喪生，

had been chained shut.

七百多人在逃跑時受傷。

Over 200 people died.

當受害者的家屬、整個城市以及整個國家

Seven hundred were injured trying to get out.

深受震驚時，

And as the victims' families and the city and the country

調查員嘗試找出背後負責人。

reeled in shock,

當他們追查該夜店所有人時，

investigators tried to find out who was responsible.

他們只發現了一些匿名公司。

And as they looked for the owners of the club,

大家都搞不清楚

they found instead anonymous companies,

那些公司背後的人的真實身份。

and confusion surrounded the identities of those