watered assets; inflated assets
Financial term for assets whose value has been artificially inflated, often through fraudulent accounting. Used in business, auditing, and legal contexts.
The audit uncovered watered assets.
Recording inflated assets constitutes window dressing of accounts.
Compound of 水増し (inflation, padding) and 資産 (assets). The term is a direct calque of the English 'watered assets', a metaphor for diluting value like watering down a drink.