Swiss private banker blows whistle on banking secrecy laws
Rudolf Elmer, a former manager with Julius Baer, has lodged a case with the European Court of Human Rights against Switzerland's rules on bank secrecy, according to a report in the Financial Times.
Elmer told reporters in Berlin the Swiss banking law permits finance institutions to cover up their "criminal support for white collar crime" such as tax evasion, and allows witnesses in legal cases to remain anonymous if bank secrecy is at risk. These factors mean "fair trials are not possible under the law".
The complaint is significant in light of Germany's tax investigation against Liechtenstein, which was sparked by stolen bank data.
Elmer said he also has information on alleged tax evasion at Julius Baer via the bank's Cayman Islands branch. Elmer - who worked for the Swiss private bank in the Caribbean tax haven until being dismissed in 2002 - said he still had data on about 300 Cayman Island accounts.
He said he would present the Strasbourg-based court with internal protocols and evidence of false documentation by the bank for clients "showing that (Julius Baer) knew it was encouraging tax evasion".
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