List surges (名單) to 43 in blackmail (勒索) sex scam (note 1)

List surges (名單) to 43 in blackmail (勒索) sex scam (note 1)

The number of government officials who received blackmail threats (恐嚇), some with composite (併合) photos of themselves in compromising positions (note 2) with women, has grown to 43, more than twice the number originally reported, police said yesterday.

All the letters demanded between HK$200,000 to HK$500,000 and were posted (郵寄) in Guangdong, said director of crime and security Stephen Lo Wai-chung, when reviewing the crime situation in the territory from January to June this year.

When asked to reveal the identities of the recipients (收件人) who were "blackmailed" and if they included the Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, Lo said he could not say as the case is under investigation.


All the letters are roughly (大致) similar. The photos used in some of the letters were the same, with the faces of the intended victims superimposed (note 3) on it," Lo said. He added the incident (事件) mentioned in the letters "was the same for all the 43 people."

Officers initially said 18 officials were targeted (note 4), and on Monday that list grew to 19. A police spokesman said most, if not all (note 5), of the victims had been sent what appeared to be composite pictures of themselves in nude (裸體) or in compromising positions with women.

Lo said most of the 43 officials were men. None of the victims paid any money. Rumors are afloat (note 6) that Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok, Secretary for Education Michael Suen Ming- yeung and Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory So Kam-leung were among the recipients.

Lo said yesterday the letters are undergoing forensic testing (科學鑑證) and the case has been handed over (note 7) to the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau. Police in Guangdong have been asked to help identify the source (來源) of the letters.

From good to better English:
(note 1) sex scam=性詐騙 (a swindle)。Scammer=騙徒 (a petty crook or swindler)。

(note 2) in compromising positions=損傷名譽的姿勢。Compromise of principles=原則上的讓步。 Victor makes compromise with Ivy= Victor和Ivy妥協。Position=態度，觀點，立場。In my position=在我的立場。Maneuver for position=爭取有利地位。

(note 3) superimposed=加在上面、重疊上去、疊印 (add as a distinct feature, element, or quality)。例句: Julian superimposed her own interpretation when she retold the hostage-taking story= Julian在回憶人質事件時把自己的意見加上去。

(note 4) targeted=目標。a target area=轟炸目標地區。 a target ship=靶艦。target practice= 打靶，射擊演習。 hit a target= 達到指標。

(note 5) if not all=如果不是全部的話。all along= 自始至終。all but= 幾乎。all clear= 解除警報的信號。all of a sudden=出乎意料地。all over= 全部結束到處。all set = 預備好, 準備好。all the more= 更加。all told= 總共。for all he cares=他不在乎。give one's all= 全力以赴。on all fours= 四腳著地的。that's all= 結束了。

(note 6) afloat=傳播，散播。set rumours afloat=散佈謠言。

(note 7) handed over=移交(Release or relinquish to another's possession or control)。例句: Victor decided to hand the bookstore over to Mo Mo=Victor打算把書店送給 Mo Mo。

Victor’s View: Cross-border crime can only increase after Hong Kong is integrated with the mainland. Law-enforcement authorities in the district and the mainland must give up their silo mentality to cooperate and stem out such crimes.

(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 4 books on English-enhancement [the latest, titled <<學會演說、改變你的人生>>, was published on July 18] and plans to write 6 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)