证券时报·2025-05-15 08:48Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the increasing complexity and prevalence of financial fraud in listed companies, particularly focusing on the role of third parties in facilitating these fraudulent activities [2][4][18]. Group 1: Overview of Financial Fraud - The annual "5.15 National Investor Protection Day" serves as a reminder of the severe consequences of financial fraud, exemplified by the Zijing Storage case, which affected 17,000 investors and involved compensation of 1.086 billion yuan from four intermediary institutions [2]. - Since 2020, over 60% of administrative penalties by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) for income fraud have involved transaction fraud, with more than 600 third-party entities implicated in 58 cases of transaction fraud [4][6]. Group 2: Evolution of Fraud Techniques - Financial fraud has evolved from simple accounting manipulations to systemic fraud that encompasses entire business processes, as seen in cases like Gome Communications and Oriental Group [5][10]. - Transaction fraud is characterized by the fabrication of non-existent transactions and manipulation of transaction processes, posing a more direct threat to market trust compared to traditional accounting manipulations [6][10]. Group 3: Role of Third Parties - Third parties, including customers, suppliers, and shell companies, play a crucial role in orchestrating financial fraud, with an average of over 10 third parties involved in each fraudulent case [11][12]. - The involvement of third parties often includes hidden relationships and the creation of complex transaction structures to obscure fraudulent activities, as demonstrated in various cases [12][13][14]. Group 4: Legal and Regulatory Challenges - Despite the high-pressure stance of the CSRC against financial fraud, third parties often escape significant legal repercussions, leading to a lack of accountability in the broader fraud ecosystem [18][19]. - The current legal framework does not adequately address the roles of third parties in financial fraud, resulting in a cycle of low risk and high reward for those involved in fraudulent activities [23]. Group 5: Recommendations for Improvement - There is an urgent need to enhance legal regulations and establish a comprehensive accountability mechanism for all parties involved in financial fraud, including third parties [23].