The scandal, known as “cum-ex,” is Germany’s biggest post-war fraud involving a share-trading scheme that the authorities say cost taxpayers an estimated €400 million (CHF416 million).
According to prosecutors, the scheme was promoted by Berger, a German tax inspector-turned-tax adviser, and others.
Berger, who is a lawyer and helped represent himself, has always denied any wrongdoing and, in conversation with Reuters, said what he did was within the law.
His Swiss attorney was not immediately available for comment on the ruling by the Federal Criminal Court, which can be appealed to Switzerland’s supreme court.
Arrested in July
Berger, 71, was arrested in Switzerland last July based on an extradition request from Germany. The Swiss Justice Ministry approved his deportation a month later.
The scheme involved trading stocks of major companies rapidly around a syndicate of banks, investors and hedge funds to give the impression of numerous owners, each entitled to a bogus tax rebate.
The practice thrived between 2005 and 2012, a period that included the years after a financial crash and as banks were bailed out by the state. A loophole that fostered the trades was then closed.
The cum-ex tax fraud is the subject of multiple investigations across Germany as the government tries to claw back billions in euros it said were stolen from the state.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
This content was published on
Solar energy pioneer Raphaël Domjan and his team continued preparations for the altitude record attempt at 10,000 metres with the SolarStratos solar aircraft.
This content was published on
Cattle in the canton of Geneva and in the neighbouring region of Terre Sainte in the canton of Vaud are being vaccinated against the contagious viral skin nodule disease. The first cases of the animal disease were reported at the end of June in France, just outside Geneva.
Fewer attacks on Swiss ATMs but their future remains uncertain
This content was published on
Bank ATMs in Switzerland are less prone to attacks by criminals, but their future remains uncertain given the less active use of cash by the population.
This content was published on
A series of rockfalls occurred above the village of Brienz between 9 and 12 July. According to the municipality of Albula, the overall situation remains tense. Several people disregarded the ban on entering the area around the village.
This content was published on
Arosa Bergbahnen achieved the highest figure in its 95-year history in the 2024/25 financial year with net revenue of CHF 37 million. Arosa Lenzerheide was able to capitalise on strengths such as snow reliability and the size of the ski area in a long winter season, the company announced on Thursday.
This content was published on
Unknown perpetrators stole ceramic dental implants during a break-in at a company in Oensingen, northern Switzerland, on Tuesday night.
Euro 2025: Bern prepares for massive parade ahead of Switzerland-Spain game
This content was published on
The last Euro 2025 match to be played in Bern, the quarterfinal between Spain and Switzerland at 9pm on Friday, promises to be a great celebration of football.
Clariant faces further ethylene price-fixing claim
This content was published on
Swiss chemicals group Clariant is facing a further claim for damages in connection with ethylene price-fixing agreements.
This content was published on
The Grande Dixence dam in Lower Valais is closed to visitors due to a rockfall last weekend. The nearby hotel also had to temporarily suspend operations for safety reasons.
Another Swiss bank settles German tax evasion probe
This content was published on
The dispute centered around accounts held for German citizens who failed to declare taxes between 2004 and 2009. Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland borders Germany. In 2015 the bank also agreed to pay the United States $1.6 million to clear up a similar investigation. Since 2009 the bank says it has adopted a “white money” strategy…
Swiss court finds former banker guilty of selling client data
This content was published on
A former employee of the leading Swiss bank UBS has been sentenced to 40 months in jail for passing stolen bank data to the German authorities.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.