Stage 8　Topics for Discussion

Work in pairs or small groups.Discuss the following questions:

1.Scenario:Xiao Meng,a Chinese college student,becomes acquainted with Badi from Egypt on the Internet.Badi claims he is a wealthy businessman doing international trade around the world.After a couple of months of contact,Xiao Meng puts complete trust in Bardi,who mails her electronic widgets such as MP3,MP4 and even a kindle fire.Subsequently,Badi invites Xiao Meng to be involved in his business and gives a monthly pay of US$1,000.What she needs to do is to go to the China Customs in her local city to collect parcels sent by Bardi and,after a lapse of one week,mail the parcels back to Bardi.Xiao Meng accepts the offer and does what she is told.Three months later,Xiao Meng is getting curious and opens one of the parcels.To her astonishment,the parcel is full of expensive jewelry.Her hunch is that she might be involved in some kind of crime,perhaps money laundering as she has learned in one of the lectures.Xiao Meng becomes very scared and turns to you,telling you all about her“little secret”.What would you advise Xiao Meng to do?Why?

2.Apart from the forms of money laundering mentioned in the lecture,do you know any other forms?What are they?

3.Do you agree there is a close link between money laundering and corruption of government officials?Why or why not?