Financial Transparency Coalition

The United States government has asked a judge for leniency with regard to the sentencing of its star UBS-informant, Bradley Birkenfeld, whose sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for Friday. In June 2008, Birkenfeld - the man who infamously detailed how he smuggled diamonds through US customs in a toothpaste tube - plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Since then, however, he cooperated extensively with US investigators from a number of agencies, and became an invaluable informant/witness in the US's drawn out legal battle against UBS. From the AP:

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MIAMI - U.S. authorities requested a sharply reduced prison sentence on Tuesday for a key informant in their tax evasion prosecutions of wealthy American clients of Swiss bank UBS.

ZURICH (Reuters) - Details of a landmark settlement of the U.S. tax case against Swiss bank UBS are expected this week, which should help the bank restore its image and open the way for the Swiss state to sell its UBS stake.

The Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II, has enraged German Jews (and rightfully so) by reiterating the misnomer that banking secrecy was created to protect the Jews from the Nazis during the Holocaust. However that's only half of his problem; unlike most other disseminators of this untruth, he then pointed his finger back at Germany (who is currently pursuing tax-evaders into Liechtenstein) and outrageously suggested that they should consider their own past. From the AP:

The prince took aim particularly at Germany, which has been pressuring Liechtenstein to clamp down on confidential banking...