依下文回答第 16 題至第 20 題
The concept of money laundering regulations goes back to ancient times and is intertwined with the
development of money and banking. Money laundering is first seen with individuals hiding wealth from the
government to avoid taxation or confiscation or a combination of both. Nowadays it has evolved into a
complex and highly technical process of transforming profits from illegal activities into 16 “legitimate”
assets without raising the suspicion of law enforcement agencies. After money has been suitably laundered or
“cleaned,” it can be used in the mainstream economy for accumulation of wealth, such as acquisitions of
properties, or otherwise spent.
Many governments around the world have become increasingly 17 in their efforts to combat
money laundering by passing anti-money-laundering regulations. These regulations require financial
institutions to have systems in place to detect and report suspected money-laundering activities. Accordingly,
law enforcement agencies of many jurisdictions have set up sophisticated systems in an effort to detect
suspicious transactions or activities, and many have set up international cooperative arrangements to assist
each other in these 18 .
However, the use of the Internet allows money launderers to easily 19 detection. The rise of online
banking institutions, anonymous online payment services, peer-to-peer transfers using mobile phones, and
the use of virtual currencies such as Bitcoin have made detecting the illegal transfer of money even more
difficult. Money can also be laundered through online auctions and sales, gambling websites, and even virtual
gaming sites, where ill-gotten money is converted into gaming currency, then transferred back into real,
usable, and 20 “clean” money.
As money launderers attempt to keep one step ahead of law enforcement, international organizations
and governments are continuing their team effort to find new ways to detect them. 【題組】19 (A)concede (B)prompt (C)skirt (D)terminate