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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WASHINGTON (AP) — Many Americans know that China holds the most U.S. Treasury debt, followed by Japan. But who would expect a group of Caribbean countries would collectively come in fifth?

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.

Bloomberg -- Former Credit Suisse Group AG broker Eric Butler was convicted of fraudulently selling millions of dollars in subprime securities to corporate clients that allowed him to generate higher commissions.