
UBS in tax evasion probe
Daily news headlines
LONDON – UBS is under investigation by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) over allegations that it created offshore accounts that allowed clients to avoid taxes. The probe comes after a former UBS banker, Bradley Birkenfeld, admitted last month to helping wealthy US customers evade $7 million in tax.
The DoJ is seeking the southern Florida Federal District Court’s approval for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to issue a summons requiring UBS to reveal key information. The Swiss investment bank is co-operating fully with the authorities.
“UBS takes this matter very seriously and is working diligently with both Swiss and US government authorities, consistent with Swiss law and the legal frameworks for intergovernmental co-operation and assistance,” says UBS in a statement.
UBS has been beset by heavy subprime losses in the past year, including a loss of $11 billion for the first quarter of 2008 followed by the announcement of 5,500 job losses.
Swiss officials held talks with US counterparts last week over the allegations. Birkenfeld has claimed he hid over $200 million in overseas accounts, robbing the IRS of over $7 million in revenue.
Birkenfeld has said over $20 billion remains in undeclared Swiss accounts controlled by US residents, which the DoJ is now very interested in uncovering. It has been reported that up to 20,000 US citizens could be involved.
In a statement the IRS says its investigation aimed to “detect wealthy individuals who don't pay their taxes as well as provide details about how advisers facilitate this abuse”.
Only users who have a paid subscription or are part of a corporate subscription are able to print or copy content.
To access these options, along with all other subscription benefits, please contact info@risk.net or view our subscription options here: http://subscriptions.risk.net/subscribe
You are currently unable to print this content. Please contact info@risk.net to find out more.
You are currently unable to copy this content. Please contact info@risk.net to find out more.
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
You may share this content using our article tools. Printing this content is for the sole use of the Authorised User (named subscriber), as outlined in our terms and conditions - https://www.infopro-insight.com/terms-conditions/insight-subscriptions/
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@risk.net
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
You may share this content using our article tools. Copying this content is for the sole use of the Authorised User (named subscriber), as outlined in our terms and conditions - https://www.infopro-insight.com/terms-conditions/insight-subscriptions/
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@risk.net
More on Regulation
SVB wouldn’t happen in Europe, says Deutsche CIB head
Campelli also thinks Credit Suisse’s bailed-in AT1 bonds acted as originally intended
How Finma milked Credit Suisse’s CoCos to close UBS deal
An unusual clause in Swiss AT1 bonds allowed them to be written off, but could others follow suit?
Fed’s climate stress test whips up storm for banks
Long-awaited US climate risk exercise puts tough pressure on banks’ data and models
EU banks need ‘billions’ in hedges to pass new NII test
Declines in net interest income can be hedged, but the markets may struggle to handle the demand
CFTC chair gloomy over crypto legislation prospects
FIA Boca 2023: Behnam also asks Congress to grant more powers to regulate third-party tech providers
Missing Basel metric could have revealed SVB risks
US regulators did not implement economic value of equity test that SVB failed badly in 2021
Strict term SOFR trading rules ‘permanent’ says Fed’s Bowman
Official says restrictions on use of term SOFR swaps “should not be expected to change”