June, 08 2010, 05:03pm EDT
Senator Grassley Stands up for UBS Whistleblower
U.S. government "doing next to nothing" to stop tax evasion
WASHINGTON
Senator Chuck Grassley has expressed his outrage at the U.S. government's
handling of information provided by UBS whistleblower Bradley
Birkenfeld. He sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and
the Department of the Treasury demanding that the IRS provide him with a
"detailed listing of all steps IRS has taken with the information Mr.
Birkenfeld provided."
Senator Grassley expressed his concern that the IRS "is doing next
to nothing to identify tax evasion by U.S. taxpayers," and pointed out
that the information Bradley Birkenfeld provided "would allow the IRS to
trace individuals in the U.S. that had UBS bank accounts."
to nothing to identify tax evasion by U.S. taxpayers," and pointed out
that the information Bradley Birkenfeld provided "would allow the IRS to
trace individuals in the U.S. that had UBS bank accounts."
Lindsey M. Williams, Advocacy Director at the National
Whistleblowers Center, said:
Whistleblowers Center, said:
"We completely agree with Senator Grassley that U.S. taxpayers
deserve to know what's happened with the valuable information Bradley
Birkenfeld brought forward, and insist that the U.S. government act by
conducting a full criminal investigation of UBS USA. We hope three years
after the Department of Justice dropped the ball on this investigation,
that the Treasury Department and the IRS will finally finish what Mr.
Birkenfeld started, and hold tax criminals accountable for their
actions."
deserve to know what's happened with the valuable information Bradley
Birkenfeld brought forward, and insist that the U.S. government act by
conducting a full criminal investigation of UBS USA. We hope three years
after the Department of Justice dropped the ball on this investigation,
that the Treasury Department and the IRS will finally finish what Mr.
Birkenfeld started, and hold tax criminals accountable for their
actions."
Senator Grassley's letter comes in the wake of a vote by the Swiss parliament that
rejected a deal between the Department of Justice and UBS, in which UBS
had agreed to turn over the names of 4,450 U.S. citizens who held secret
and illegal bank accounts at UBS.
rejected a deal between the Department of Justice and UBS, in which UBS
had agreed to turn over the names of 4,450 U.S. citizens who held secret
and illegal bank accounts at UBS.
Links:
Since 1988, the NWC and attorneys associated with it have supported whistleblowers in the courts and before Congress and achieved victories for environmental protection, government contract fraud, nuclear safety and government and corporate accountability.
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