WASHINGTON - January 4 - Today the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued a ruling denying UBS whistleblower Bradley Birkenfeld's motion for reconsideration of his 40-month jail sentence set to begin Friday, January 8, 2010. The Department of Justice (DOJ) did not support Mr. Birkenfeld's motion.

Stephen M. Kohn, National Whistleblowers Center Executive Director and attorney for Mr. Birkenfeld, issued a statement in response "Putting only the whistleblower in jail while all the major tax cheats who stole billions of taxpayer dollars escape without criminal penalties is outrageous and sends the wrong message."

Dean Zerbe, National Whistleblowers Center Special Counsel and attorney for Mr. Birkenfeld, stated "With their failure to revisit the sentencing of the whistleblower Brad Birkenfeld, the Department of Justice seems bound and determined to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs.  DOJ's short-sighted actions will make life easier for tax cheats and require honest working families to shoulder a greater tax burden.  If the administration is actually serious about going after off-shore tax evasion they need to be encouraging whistleblowers not throwing them in jail."

Mr. Zerbe added "It is incomprehensible that DOJ is seeking 40 months of jail time for someone who is the most important tax whistleblower in the history of the country.  Meanwhile, the DOJ is running out of wet noodles when it comes to dealing with individuals who actually evaded taxes - including those that Brad Birkenfeld blew the whistle on."   The National Whistleblowers Center is urging people to send letters to Attorney General Holder demanding immediate review of Mr. Birkenfeld's case.

Photo of Bradley Birkenfeld (Courtesy of whistleblowers.org)