A former UBS employee accused of passing stolen bank data to the German authorities failed to appear in court for his hearing. Judges ruled that the trial will take place in his absence.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch
Even attempts to bring the accused’s wife to court in Bellinzona failed as she could not be found at home by police and could not be reached by telephone. The only available witness was the former boss of the defendant.
The 45-year-old man is accused of making more than €1 million (CHF1.12 million or $1.14 million) with the sale of data to the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia in the summer of 2012. He has been charged with violating Swiss banking secrecy laws, economic espionage and money laundering.
North Rhine-Westphalia adopted the tactic of buying stolen data to crack down on suspected tax cheats using Swiss banks to hide their undeclared assets. UBS and other banks have paid millions to the German authorities to settle legal cases brought on the basis of such information.
The defendant is not the first suspected whistleblower to evade the Swiss courts. In 2015, former HSBC worker Hervé Falciani was sentenced to a five-year jail sentence in absentia. He is still at large having fled Switzerland for France and then Spain.
Popular Stories
More
Workplace Switzerland
What lies ahead for Switzerland: an economic outlook for 2025
Have you heard something about Swiss diplomacy that you’d like us to fact check?
Not all information circulating about Switzerland’s foreign relations is accurate or well understood. Tell us what you'd like us to fact check or clarify.
Researchers find high microbial diversity in glacial streams
This content was published on
Swiss researchers have discovered a surprising diversity of microorganisms in glacial streams around the world. However, this diversity is under threat as soon as it is discovered.
This content was published on
Fewer electric cars were sold in Switzerland in 2024 compared to the previous year. The electric mobility association Swiss eMobility says this is only a temporary dip.
This content was published on
Sunshine and fresh snow attracted winter sports fans to Swiss ski resorts over the holiday period. Many ski stations reported record figures.
New Year’s speech: President Keller-Sutter praises Swiss modesty
This content was published on
The Swiss president for 2025, Karin Keller-Sutter, has underlined the importance of compromise and modesty in Swiss politics in her New Year’s address to the nation.
Lindt wins ‘chocolate ball’ legal case against Aldi
This content was published on
Chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli has won a legal case against the retailer Aldi Suisse for infringing the trademark rights of its Lindor chocolate balls.
Campaigners want Swiss central bank to hold bitcoin in reserves
This content was published on
Campaigners have launched a people's initiative to oblige the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to hold part of its reserves in bitcoin.
Switzerland welcomes 2025 with fireworks and ice plunges
This content was published on
Fireworks lit up the skies in Switzerland to celebrate New Year's Eve. Some people welcomed the new year by plunging into lakes in freezing temperatures.
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.
Read more
More
Swiss plans for whistleblowers fall short, critics say
This content was published on
Swiss government plans to update laws on whistleblowers will fail to provide sufficient protection for employees who reveal corporate wrongdoing.
Swiss top court rules whistleblower did not breach banking secrecy
This content was published on
The Federal Court rejected by three votes to two an appeal by Zurich prosecutors who were pushing for the country’s banking secrecy law to apply to whistleblowers wherever they are in the world. The majority of the federal judges pointed out that Rudolf Elmer was no longer employed by a Swiss bank at the time…
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.