Banker Indicted For Helping Mystery Billionaire Avoid $200M In Taxes

Wall Street Journal:

The Justice Department has just indicted a private banker and a trust-company owner for allegedly helping an American billionaire avoid taxes on $200 million in income.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, names Bradley Birkenfeld, an American who resides in Switzerland and worked for two large Swiss banks (which aren't named). It also names Mario Staggl, a Liechtenstein-based owner of a trust company.

The complaint doesn't name the billionaire who allegedly avoided the taxes, since he's an unindicted co-conspirator. The only description it gives is that he's a real-estate developer who operated his business in both Southern Florida and Southern California. And his initials are given as "I.O."

Read the whole story: Wall Street Journal

Comments

[loki]

Yeah, his indictment probably means that he will get a government bail out with Tax Payer money. If he doesnt, all those billionaires will, and they didnt lose a dime, they actually gained by not paying taxes. But I am sure our politicians will figure out a way to justify giving them a couple billion for their embarrassment.

[bluesnot]

Billionaires have to pay for the war just like the rest of us.

[KillTheMessenger]

What is $200 million amongst friends? It's one day in Iraq, isn't it? At least on a cost-plus basis, it is.

[WIpatriot]

What did Wesley Snipes owe?? $3M? $5M?? Three years in the slammer., too.

[Thabit]

But he was Black and only a millionare so you cant expect hin to get the same justice in this country as a billionare thats white besides all he has to do is contribute to Bushes Library and he will have a nice little pardon along with the warcriminals on Bush's last day in office . Does it strike you as funny for bush to have a library when he reads " my little goat "upsidedown