【新唐人2014年12月23日讯】雅芳公司（Avon）因向中共官员贿赂并送礼，遭美国证券交易委员会（SEC）罚款1.35亿美元。雅芳高级副总裁在法庭听证会上承认，向中共官员行贿共9,600笔，其中包括2008年为时任广东省长黄华华支付赴香港旅费2.2万美元。
美国政府指控称，截至2008年末，不到五年的时间，雅芳公司(Avon Products Inc.)招待中共政府官员渡假吃喝、送手袋、给现金等花费了800万美元。
依据美国的海外反贪污行为法，企业禁止为做生意向外国官员行贿或赠与有价品项。
美国司法部和美国证券交易委员会控告雅芳公司海外行贿案，在纽约南区联邦地区法庭落锤，雅芳中国有限公司承认违反了美国的《反海外腐败法》，日前被罚款1.35亿美元。
独立评论员张健：“我觉得美国在海外的反腐败法律，是针对所有美国的企业和个人的，那么也突显了美国在民主法治上，他是一个旗帜性人物，通过雅芳这个事件，我们也能看到，美国对于美国本土的企业，如果一旦触及了法律，他就会按照法律追究到底，按照司法程序这样的审判。”
美国《华尔街日报》引述美国证券交易委员会及司法部的文件指出，雅芳高级副总裁Jeff Benjamin在法庭听证会上承认，2004年到2008年间，雅芳中国高管曾经向中共官员频频送礼。
据披露，雅芳公司向中共官员行贿共9,600笔，涉及总额165万美元。其中于2008年为时任广东省长黄华华支付赴香港旅费2.2万美元。据了解，这是雅芳首次披露中共现任高官的受贿情况。
时事评论员刑天行：“黄华华现在是全国人大华侨委员会副主任委员，他在人大的位置上，那这个信号，就是说未来这个反腐会燃烧到黄华华这个地方，肯定现在会引起一些人的关注。”
广州市民陈先生：“因为他这么高级别的官员，直接的证据就不可能让我们知道的，但是他原来是做过广州市的市委书记，而且还做过广东省的省长，众所周知，整个中国最有钱的省份就是广东省，然后这些工业又比较发达，经济比较发达，所以在这样的省份，广东省做到省长，他能够拿到的，能够贪污的，收到的钱财肯定不会少。”
雅芳公司在2006年成为第一家取得中国直销许可的企业。而黄华华担任广东省省长是2003年到2011年。
时事评论员 刑天行：“雅芳受贿这件事情给捅出来，它这个目标涉及到雅芳背后的老虎将要被打，又释放出来黄华华跟雅芳有关系，我想这也是一个强烈的暗示，也就是这个反腐的下一步很可能会触及到黄华华，或者他周边相关的人物。”
根据香港《苹果日报》报导，近期中纪委在广东打老虎，有关黄华华的负面消息不断。去年年底以来，广东数以十计高官落马，包括省政协主席朱明国、广州市委书记万庆良等。
时事评论员刑天行：“朱明国和万庆良是黄华华一手扶上位的，那么他能够一手扶上位，其实这个内涵就很深了。”
一名大陆法律工作者发表文章指出，中国的商业腐败问题，不能指望着外国通过《反海外贿赂法》来解决。既然雅芳已经认罚的“通过行贿获得中国直销牌照”的事，那雅芳是向哪些中共官员行贿的？那些Gucci包包，现在谁在用？不能总是个谜？
文章还说，虽然“雅芳贿赂门”已经曝光6年，但我们至今也不知道雅芳到底贿赂了哪些中共官员，更不要说受贿者被追究刑事责任了。
采访/易如 编辑/黄亿美 后制/葛雷
Avon Bribes National Legislature Member Huang Huahua.
Avon agreed to pay $135 million to resolve related criminal
fines and civil charges from the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC).
Avon’s general counsel admitted at the Manhattan federal
court hearing that Avon made 9,600 payments between
2004 through to 2008, including $22,000 in 2008 to Huang
Huahua, then governor of Guangdong Province.
The U.S. alleges Avon spent $8 million on gifts for Chinese
government officials consisting of handbags, vacations,
meals and cash paid over four years ending in late
2008, reported the Wall Street Journal.
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is federal law,
which prohibits companies from paying bribes to
foreign government officials and political figures
for the purposes of obtaining business.
The SEC and Justice Department allege Avon bribed Chinese
officials and violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Avon agreed to surrender $135 million
in exchange for a deferred prosecution.
Independent commentator Zhang Jian,"I believe the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act targets U.S. businesses and individuals.
It highlights the democratic rule of law in the United States.
Avon’s case also demonstrated any violation of domestic
business is subject to law and judicial procedures."
Avon’s general counsel Jeff Benjamin admitted that
from 2004 through 2008, Avon China executives provided
gifts to Chinese government officials, reported WSJ.
According to reports, Avon made 9,600 payments totaling
$1.65 million for the officials.
For instance, Avon paid $22,000 for then Guangdong
governor Huang Huahua to have a trip to Hong Kong.
This is believed to be the first time Avon revealed that a
currently serving Chinese high official is involved in bribery.
Commentator Xing Tianxin,"Huang Huahua is the deputy
director of the Overseas Chinese Committee of the NPC.
His post at the NPC signals the anti-graft will soon target him,
and relevant individuals are certainly paying attention to it."
Guangzhou resident Mr. Chen, “We won’t know any direct
evidence about an official at his level.
But he was Guangzhou Municipal Committee secretary,
and also the Governor of Guangdong Province.
Guangdong Province is well known for its wealth,
the richest province in China.
It has a fairly well developed industry and economy.
As a governor of Guangdong, the amount he received and
corrupted is surely huge."
Avon became the first company to obtain direct selling
permission in China in 2006.
Huang Huahua was the governor of Guangdong
between 2003 and 2011.
Xing Tianxing, “The exposure of Avon bribery suggests
the tigers behind Avon China are to be hit.
The exposure of the relation between Huang Huahua and
Avon is also a strong indicator that Huang and his allies
will be the next target of anti-corruption."
According to Hong Kong Apple Daily report, many negative
news reports about Huang have been revealed since the
recent state regulator’s tiger hunt in Guangdong.
Dozens of Guangdong officials have been sacked from
late last year.
They include the provincial CPPCC Chairman Zhu Mingguo,
and municipal party secretary of Guangzhou Wan Qingliang.
Xing Tianxing, “Huang Huahua was the pushing hand
of Zhu Mingguo and Wan Qingliang.
His capability to promote them says a lot about the depth
of the case."
A Chinese lawyer stated in a commentary:
“The business corruption in China can’t rely on
the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Avon admitted the bribery to receive its direct selling license
in China. But, who are those officials who were bribed?
Who are using those Gucci bags? It can’t be just a mystery.”
It continued: “The Avon bribery has been exposed for six
years, but we still do not know which CCP officials Avon
has bribed,not to mention prosecuting those who are
criminally responsible.”
