Today the National Whistleblower Center issued a press release regarding Raoul Weil, the former head of UBS’s Global Wealth Management business. Weil was extradited to the United States from Italy where he was arrested on an international warrant after being indicted for his role in conspiring to violate U.S. tax laws. He is scheduled to appear for a hearing in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale today.
In the statement issued today by Stephen M. Kohn, the Executive Director of the National Whistleblower Center and one of Mr. Birkenfeld’s attorneys, Kohn warned that the Justice Department “may give Weil a sweetheart deal that could cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars, and set back international efforts to curb corruption.”
Kohn pointed to a highly improper “deal” cut with Martin Liechti, who formally ran the America’s program under Weil’s leadership at UBS. “Liechti was caught red-handed in the United States, but was permitted to plead the ‘Fifth Amendment’ in testimony before Congress, and soon after permitted to leave the United States without having to face justice for his illegal actions in hiding billions of dollars from the IRS,” Kohn said.
Read the NWC’s full press release here.
Weil is pictured here in his December 13, 2013 booking photo.