'Holocaust' tax dodger jailed for hiding funds in UBS

[howaboutme]

Source: BBC, Reuters

A US watchmaker said he hid funds in a Swiss bank account because of "survival behaviour" learned from the Holocaust.

The American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants rejected Mr Barouh's defence.

It told the Reuters news agency: "Holocaust survivors and their families reject the demeaning assertion that 'survival behaviour' learned from the Holocaust could justify illegal evasion of taxes."

Assistant US Attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, also said the Holocaust defence was no excuse: "It does not give this defendant a license to break the law. Tax fraud is tax fraud."

Mr Barouh was jailed for 10 months.




Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8641371.stm

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The UBS Swiss Bank expose is at last apparently helping the US Justice Dept to uncover the mega tax cheats, although this Jack Barouh from Miami, FL area is the first story I've seen with names and criminal prosecutions. Initially there were supposed to be tens of thousands of very wealthy people exposed. Instead officials outrageously sent the whistle blower (Bradley Birkenfeld) to prison for 40 months. He apparently stepped on and exposed the wrong extremely wealthy toes and these people wanted to set an example.

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/4/15/ubs

http://www.justice.gov/tax/txdv10123.htm

[connecticut yankee]

1. This is such bull---t

He wasn't even born until the end of the war.

Secondly, I find it offensive that the "Holocaust Survivor" crap is being used to justify his criminal behavior.

Apparently, the "Holocaust Survivor" group agrees.

[Angry Dragon]

2. Sounds the same to me for people using

I was doing god's work to justify their misdeeds

[Downwinder]

3. So, where is the Honorable Phil Gramm these days?

[Brother Buzz]

4. Mr Barouh is a tax cheat and a poor student of history to boot

Had he paid attention, he would have learned Swiss banks did a great job of pocketing Holocaust victims deposits.

[dmr]

5. These accounts are used by corrupt politicians to put their bribe money.

From the Democracy Now link:

The problem with these secret accounts is a lot worse than just US taxpayers losing money. These accounts are used by corrupt politicians to put their bribe money. They’re used by officials in developing countries to put illegally stolen development funds, money stolen from food programs, education programs. Who puts money into these illegal accounts? How are they misused? The scandal exposed by Mr. Birkenfeld—and keep in mind, he was the first major banker ever in world history to take information from these top-secret foreign accounts and give them to the government for prosecution. How was he treated? That’s the message.

This is a major news story in Switzerland. This is a major news story throughout the entire banking community. This is being watched. I was interviewed by Swiss TV yesterday. The people who manage the secret bank accounts are watching Birkenfeld with a magnifying glass. They want to know how has the United States treated him. And it’s simple.

:grr:

[howaboutme]

6. My belief is simply this

I have no time for these greedy mutherfucking people. If "you" must hide your money in an offshore account then it is because of ill gotten non-reported gains. It is only because of greed. YOU must accept that the fact that YOU are a corrupt greedy bastard that values monetary gains far beyond self respect of others. Your name should be published on every media outlet....but will it?

There is no doubt that Bernie Madoff was a corrupt greedy bastard. All the other mini Madoffs need to go to prison and be exposed just like Bernie.

We need a society that strives to put "OTHERS" first and not money.

These rich greedy bastards need to be exposed for EXACTLY what they are. BTW I golf with one that can't say a FKNG word except how much he makes.

[Lucky Luciano]

7. A friend of mine is a tax attorney in NYC.

He told me that it appears, according to others, that the names that UBS are turning over are actually ex-clients. Bear in mind this is just unsubstantiated rumors from only one person so take it for what it is worth.