【新唐人2014年06月09日訊】最近多家外媒和港媒披露,澳門賭場內有人通過非法使用中國金融服務機構「銀聯」的移動支付設備,規避大陸內地對貨幣跨境流出的限制,涉及資金數以十億計。經濟學者分析,這是應對中國房市泡沫破裂、和經濟下行的風險,資本外逃的一個手段。
據香港《南華早報》報導,澳門賭場內有人為了規避大陸內地的貨幣管制,不惜進行非法行為,如海外洗錢、資本外逃和非法使用銀行卡等,涉及資金數以十億計,由跨境集團在國有銀行系統下操作。而「銀聯移動支付」就是其中一種,可用於虛假交易套現,從而繞過中國政府貨幣控制政策。
澳門每年通過「銀聯卡」完成的交易數額約2000億元人民幣,其中有20%是通過移動設備完成。
在澳門街頭經常能見到珠寶店的的門匾上,寫著「歡迎人民幣,歡迎銀聯卡,刷卡無上限」。
據大陸《21世紀經濟報導》報導,澳門特別行政區立法會議員助理何威,實地調查非法使用「銀聯卡」的情況。在一家名叫「財厚押」的金店,他詢問用大陸的「銀聯卡」最多可以刷多少,老闆回答說想刷多少就刷多少,不設上限。
何威看到,店員接過來自大陸的中年婦女遞過來的「銀聯卡」,但並沒有為她取出任何商品,而是拿出80萬港元現金,這名婦女在標註為「一般購物」的銀聯小票上簽上了自己的名字,而後帶著錢走向隔壁的十六浦賭場。
在澳門「新葡京」賭場內的「周大福」珠寶店,店員告訴何威,顧客可以通過刷「銀聯卡」,購買價值達上千萬人民幣的金條,然後再迅速轉手賣給珠寶店,換取現金,通過這種購物方式的轉換,黑錢的渠道馬上變的正當。
儘管上述行為違反了中國的《反洗錢法》和資本管制規定,但在澳門,這些店舖虛假交易,刷「銀聯卡」以及人民幣「購物」,再以其他可自由兌換的外幣獲得退款,並給零售商一定佣金,已經是公開的秘密了。
浙江財經大學教授謝作詩認為,資金非法流入澳門賭場,並非是簡單的用於賭博,而是運作者通過這樣一種方式,進行洗錢和資本外逃。並且,目前的資本外逃跟整個經濟形勢惡化有關係。
浙江財經大學教授謝作詩:「當然中國經濟好的時候,錢是向國內大陸流。當經濟形勢有問題不好,它就向外流。但是我們資本項目是被管制了的。等於它一個正當的途徑,流入、流出是被限制了。被限制了當然它通過一種其他的方式,比如通過賭場或者通過出口虛報數據,包括等等方式去流出。那麼這個反映的問題,就是反映出中國經濟泡沫,房地產泡沫,還有經濟下行的風險下,一個規避套利的行為。」
浙江溫州市會計唐必清也認為,資金非法流入澳門賭場,洗錢和資本外逃的可能性很大。
浙江溫州市會計唐必清:「因為這個方法比較隱秘,查處的話也不好查處。」
在澳門賭場洗錢過程中,俗稱「疊馬仔」的博彩中介人營運商,扮演了重要角色。他們從大陸物色潛在賭客吸引到澳門後,通過放寬借貸限額的方式,使賭客們投下的賭資,得以遠超法定允許出境的金額。「疊馬仔」利用他們第三者的身份,將大量金錢輸送到外地及各個賭場,客戶一般依靠博彩中介人替他們調撥資金,這樣就會很難辨別出資金的來源及客戶身份。
倘若博彩中介人串同客戶進行清洗黑錢活動,將不法資金與合法資金融為一體,這會令資金來源及客戶的身份更難識別。
據《南華早報》報導,非法交易涉及三個違法行為:一、使用內地註冊的移動支付設備在澳門交易﹔二、利用內地第三方支付公司,在澳門以外完成非法交易﹔三、通過國有銀行澳門分行的移動支付設備,接受內地轉賬。
澳門一位政治分析師表示,這個過程顯然經過精心設計,才能繞過中國的外匯管制。他認為,杜絕資金非法流入澳門賭場,必須調查幕後的活動為何得以進行。
中國銀聯公司五月份公布了一系列措施,聲稱將「致力打擊澳門的海外洗錢、資本外逃和其他非法銀行卡使用行為」。澳門金管局有意向賭場設定7月1號為最終期限。
中國銀聯為國企,因此外界猜測,相關打擊行動將由中共當局支持。
採訪編輯/秦雪 後製/蕭宇
Chinese Capital Inflows Macau Through Illegal Transaction
Billions of Chinese capital have been reported to illegally
flow to Macau, the world ‘s largest gambling market,
by violating the restriction on currency export
with the Chinese customers using bank card UnionPay.
Economists analyze this capital outflow has occurred as
the Chinese housing bubble bursts and economy goes down.
Hong Kong ‘s South China Morning Post reported that to evade
currency export control, billions of Chinese currency have
crossed the border through illegal activities of state-backed
banks. UnionPay, a payment card network, was found to conduct
illegal transactions on fake purchases to evade the Chinese
currency export restriction.
Every year, the total transaction through UnionPay is
about 200 billion yuan in Macau.
Of which, 20% is done through ATM.
On the streets of Macau, ads are often seen in jewelry stores
that says “Pay with RMB. Pay with UnionPay without limit."
The 21st Century Business Herald reported, a local
investigation of UnionPay transaction by Macao legislative
council assistant He Wei.
According to the owner of a jewelry shop, there is no upper
limit of the transaction with UnionPay.
He Wei witnessed a Chinese woman hand the store her
UnionPay card, sign a credit card receipt that said
‘general sale ‘, and left the store with HK$800,000.
With the cash, she went to the Casino Porte 16 next door.
In a jewelry store inside the casino of Macau, the shop clerk
told He Wei that customers can purchase gold bullion
worth of tens of million yuan with UnionPay and resell
the item in exchange for cash.
This channel makes the illegal money legitimate.
These fake purchases to channel large amounts of RMB cross
the border, known to violate China’s anti-money-laundering
regulations and restrictions on currency exports, however,
has been an open secret.
Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics Professor Xie
Zuoshi believes this illegal outflow of currency is not simply
for gambling, but for money laundering and capital flight.
This phenomenon is associated with the deteriorated economy.
Xie Zuoshi: “When the economy is good, of course, money
will flow into China. But, it goes out when it ‘s bad.
With the restriction on the capital, the inflow and outflow
of the capital are controlled.
To evade the restriction, casino or false export would become
the channel. This reflects the aversion and arbitrage under
the current risk of financial bubble burst and crisis."
Zhejiang accountant Tang Biqing also believes
that the illegal inflow of funds in Macau casinos
is highly likely for the purpose of money laundering and
capital flight.
Tang Biqing: “This channel is relatively secretive,
and difficult for investigation."
In the money laundering process via Macau casinos,
the loan sharks play an important role.
They attract potential Chinese gamblers to Macau
with generous loans.
These loans become currency beyond legal limit to cross
the border.
The loan sharks manipulate their third party and agency status
to channel through huge amounts of cash overseas.
Customers rely on the loan sharks to allocate the money
which is hard to discern for the source of the money
and the identity of the customers.
In the case of money laundering through the loan sharks,
as it combines legal and illegal capital in one,
it makes it hard to distinguish the source
and the identity of the capital.
South China Morning Post reported three violations
of the illegal transactions:
One, to conduct ATM transaction in Macao with China
registered bank cards;
Second, the third party agency in China conducts illegal
transaction outside of Macau;
Third, to use Macau banks ATM to complete fund transfer
from China.
A political analyst in Macau believes the process has been
clearly designed to bypass China’s foreign exchange controls.
Investigation of the reasons why the activities behind
the transaction are allowed is the way to prevent illegal
capital flow into casinos in Macau.
China UnionPay announced in May measures to crack down
on the money laundering, capital flight and other illegal bank card
usage in Macau.
The measures would take effect on July 1,
according to the Monetary Authority of Macau.
China UnionPay is a Chinese state-backed bank card.
It is believed the measures were backed
by the Communist regime.
Interview & Edit/Qin Xue Post-Production/Xiao yu