The British bank HSBC helped evade tax equivalent to 100,000 million to 106,000 customers in 203 countries, according to a report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ, for its acronym in English) published yesterday.
Named ‘SwissLeaks’, research shows the formulas used for tax evasion and splashed several politicians, showbiz, sports and business. (Read: Football players, pilots and politicians, including tax evaders HSBC)
In the analyzed period (2005-2007), the country with the most dollars in the British bank was Switzerland with 31,200 million, followed by Britain with 21,700 million, Venezuela with 14,800 million and US with 13,400 million.
The published files were extracted from data copied by the computer Hervé Falciani, a former employee of the Swiss subsidiary of HSBC. These data were only known for justice and some tax administrations, although some elements were leaked to the press.
The French newspaper Le Monde had access to bank information, which gave the ICIJ where 154 journalists from 47 countries analyzed
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Billions have gone through those accounts Geneva, disguised, inter alia, offshore structures behind in Panama and the British Virgin Islands .
The Guardian noted in its report that the files showed that the Swiss subsidiary of HSBC routinely allowed customers to withdraw “bricks” of cash, often in foreign currency were little use in Switzerland; he promoted schemes that may allow wealthy clients evade European taxes and colluded with some to hide undeclared accounts of local tax authorities.
HSBC said the Swiss private banking industry, well known by their vows of secrecy, operated differently in the past, and this could have led to HSBC has had “a number of customers who may not have fully complied with their tax obligations applicable”.
Yesterday, the Swiss subsidiary of the British bank HSBC said it has “changed” after the “failures observed in 2007,” according to a statement. HSBC Switzerland “has undertaken a radical transformation in 2008 to prevent its services from being used to defraud the treasury or launder dirty money,” said the CEO of the subsidiary, Franco Morra.
Personalities
If you are involved numerous personalities from around the world, according to ICIJ. In the case of Venezuela, it is pointed out as the main involved Alejandro Andrade, exguardaespaldas of Hugo Chavez, who was president of the Bureau of the Treasury from 2007 to 2010 and chairman of the National Economic Development Bank of Venezuela (Bandes).
the late Spanish banker Emilio Botin, Uruguayan footballer Diego Forlan, the Spanish F1 driver Fernando Alonso, King Mohamed VI of Morocco and King Abdullah II of Jordan also appear.
the world of fashion and entertainment are on the list the model Elle McPherson, the creator Diane von Fürstenberg, actress Joan Collins and American actor John Malkovich.
The Swiss newspaper Le Temps, one of the publications associated with research notes meanwhile names of politically exposed persons, as Rami Makhlouf, a cousin of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
In addition, as reported journalists ICIJ, “HSBC Private Bank (Switzerland) continued to provide services to clients who had been adversely cited by the United Nations, legal documents and in the press, by its links with the trafficking of weapons of war, diamonds or corruption”.
And indeed, on file names of suspects Saudis appear to have funded al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in the 2000s, as well as drug lords or arms dealers.
In the list of countries, Brazil is in ninth place with 7.000 million in accounts in the period in question.
It is also noted that since Argentina reached a total of 3,500 million from 2,552 accounts, placing the country in the post 21. According to the newspaper La Nación, “the number 1 in the overall ranks of HSBC is called Miguel Gerardo Abadi” who, according to the publication, is an Argentine accountant who lives in London and is a “manager” of the investment fund Gems. And although the bank secrecy in Switzerland has reduced the pressure on banks increased and many governments intensify action against tax evasion.
Belgium, for example, is considering issuing a international arrest warrant against the directors of the group.
Colombia, in the
In the list of countries ‘Swissleaks’, Colombia is ranked at 76th with a total of 276.4 million dollars in the British bank. The most money associated with a Colombian client is to the tune of 57.5 million. The report showed that, in total, 286 clients from the list are associated with Colombia, of which 24 percent are Colombian nationality, but in the ‘online’ version not available names.
AFP, EFE and REUTERS
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