Banking: A Crack In the Swiss Vault 

living in Switzerland, it's very strange to see this report. Most Swiss people are not as wealthy as most of the foreign investors who hide their money in Switzerland. We walk around all day wondering how these rich Russians, Arabs, and Chinese people get their money and how they managed to bring it into the country illegally. People here are struggling just like everywhere else in the world, but there's an upper class who never struggles who never has to go through customs and who somehow I was able to get money out of the bank in amount that would be illegal for anyone else to do.

No good deed goes unpunished...this is the ULTIMATE message of this video!!!

Sending Birkenfeld to prison is to tell other Whistleblowers DON'T cross the system! He is lucky to be alive.

Only a fool would make a deal with the govt...

As of 2019 he’s been given 104 mil from the us government not too shabby

Switzerland is a country that has largely avoided the spotlight in their aiding of some of the worst violations of human rights ever. They were not neutral in WW2 and their actions have continued since

Like the story in Victor Hugo's novel. The main character was imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread, while the scoundrels and scalawags are free to roam the streets of Paris.

12:40 - This is hilarious... Q: "Do you think you'll ever go back to Switzerland again?" A: (pause) "I don't believe I will."

Birkenfeld had the last laugh. After serving 30 months in prison he was awarded 104 million dollars by the IRS.

Probably should’ve considered some of the names on his list, that NEVER go to jail, would be some our finest and most honest politicians. This gentleman was imprisoned in VA, with a man named John Kerryiacou. John was the CIA guy that slightly exposed the rendition program. Betcha they enjoyed some interesting conversations.

You forgot politicians ( legal crooks ) 🙄

This right here, boys and girls, is why you NEVER talk to law enforcement!

Punish the whistleblowers, don't punish the people doing the tax evasion. No wonder the system is the way it is

He has a book out: Lucifer’s Banker: The Untold Story of How I Destroyed Swiss Bank Secrecy

I worked as a contractor for a Swiss Bank (in the USA). Days after the housing crisis, The US government was already there with demands for US aid, and the bank rolled over. You have not had any secrecy since 2007.

The introduction was amazing.😂😂

Doesn't matter. For him! It's all moved to Vatican Central. He was the fool.

It's always strange when you hear that saying THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE ! That is the thing it doesn't do!

action speaks louder than words ! this is the intent !

This is weird and sends a horrible message. I get that he lied and he should maybe get a couple months for that, but those rich people lied all their lives, and they get fined. I tell you, it’s not black vs. white, it’s rich vs. poor and the rich got us all fighting the wrong people and the wrong systems-intentionally so they maintain their wealth. But I see all you lost soles in this comment section. Keep rooting for the poorest guy to go to prison. When he’s in prison it will be you next

That’s what happens to snitches he was arrested 😂

15,000,000 Americans had illegal Swiss bank accounts. The accounts totaled $63 trillion. All of it was seized. It is how we survived 2008!

Well now you can have a Swiss bank account in your head, with no bankers involved, Crypto.

Lessons Learned: NEVER be a whistleblower!!! It will be a life-destroying event - the whistleblower's life!

very good and insightful thank you for the thoughts

This was important to watch.

How many DOJ and State Department employees were part of those 19000 bank account holders

"The love of money is the root of all evil." Any questions?

He ran afoul of that Federal regulation that if you agree to cooperate with Federal authorities you must TELL ALL ABOUT EVERY CRIME YOU KNOW OF. There is to be no wiggle room on that. However, in this case a descresionary exemption would have been wise. I had heard in recent years that the IRS had been refusing to pay the rewards to informers. Stiffing them. Gotta wonder about that.

To be able to do business as Swiss has done is amazing and respectful, to me.

I think someone with influence got angry at this guy and pull strings to get him locked up

I agree with the last guy saying that no one will say anything if you're the one going to jail. People why help those people that are going to put you in jail? Why??

The wealth that needs to be hidden is usually ill-gotten. UBS or Swiss banks are nothing more than Satan's way of encouraging people to lie, cheat and let your imagination go from there. Birkenfield was jailed b/c he must have crossed some wealthy Americans, namely senators, governors, etc. Its called nepotism. USA is the biggest hypocrisy. The fact that the Swiss consider Birkenfield as a traitor is laughable and makes a statement that the SWISS government was fully behind it all and was getting taxes from the bankers. The Swiss are nothing more than the Vatican's dog.

No wonder he nearly fell down the stairs leaving court.

Hiding diamonds in a toothpaste tube: LIAR. How stupid does he think we are.

IRS... no good words, ever. I do despise these people, not because of their dedication to fairness (never observed) but their dedication to convenience, the law notwithstanding.

the comments below are revealing

The I.R.S Awarded Birkenfeld $104 million dollars for his services. 2 years of jail-time for that is a good payoff imo.

There must be others apart from me who can smell that the US-Swiss deal included prosecuting Birkenfeld.

Thanks

And the only guy who went to jail, was the the whistleblower... Never-mind the 14000 guilty tax hiding criminals, that got named, none of them went to jail for hiding money, the only guy that went to jail was the guy who told the justice system all about it... Live and learn...

$160 billion money removed after this

4:54 I thought that was Rob Wolchek at first haha

11:52 does anyone else see how backwards this statement is?

To day they don't do that anymore?

He should have been extradited to Switzerland to face a harsher punishment.

A homeless man steals an ice cream that cost less than $1 was sentenced to 15 years in prison

So where's the update. This was made in 2010. Is he out? Did he get his money?

All these criminals have one thing in common

what a show!!

I would Love to see some "Historical" records. Like from the 1920s, 30s and Forty's

BM. Step ? on 2 eclairs??

It says he's from Boston, but they're filming in Switzerland. He has an American-sounding voice but with his looks and that name he could pass for a Swiss National.

This man was not paid enough! Because as it turns out, the $104 million he was paid is only 1/2 of one percent of what the IRS has collected based on what he brought them!

You know his lawyer is a lunatic

The ABA, AMA and ADA had the largest number of accounts.

I don't harbor resentment, because most people in that position will behave the same way given the opportunity and resources. America's working class is equally greedy. US statesmen encourage this, buy now and Then they need to give us a good show and make an example of someone. I'm guessing they weren't hooked up with the right statesmen.

No banker is an angel!

I can't get behind labeling tax fraud as criminal. Knowing what ourtax dollars mainly go toward it's just not something a rational person can believe.

Hope he rots in prison, the government doesn't know what you are involved until someone snitches.

LOL, he got a 100 million out of this. Not bad for 3 years in jail.

No good deed goes unpunished...

Banking is government, government is banking. You cannot be a whistle blower against the banks.

Insomnia brought me here. 🙄

Let me get this straight...did this guy make a legal determination that these people/institutions/corporations were actually legally "liable" for the taxes he claims they were evading? Was/is he "practicing law without a license"? Did he actually study the law regarding the federal income tax? Did he pour himself into the moras of the internal revenue code and the associated court rullings? How, when and where did he make his determination...which apparenyly was the impetus for his action? Or did someone grease his palm? Perhaps he should have read the book : "cracking the code".

the fall guy!

You covered for 19,000 criminals and yes your going to jail, everyone crook in this should go to jail. He was FORCED to tell, he didn't come forward as a good guy.

Bulshit, that's not fair. The got what they wanted, but jailed him. Billionaire and millionaire got freed. Sounded like the way it works out here apparently. Wow

Bankers 1. Birkenfeld 0 but........104 million settlement and he deserves every penny.

He is lying about the toothpaste tube. That is how you can carry a small amount of contraband without being caught. He knew.

I reported unlicensed contractor, working in county, county came after me,

who decide that this bank or other banks are really in fault. The central banks are a family organization that determine who can get rich. And who run the central banks. they actually who makes the money, so if this organization don't maybe supply this family, you lose your bank

Legend

You've got to take 60 Minutes' pointed messages with a few ounces of salt. "Bradley Birkenfeld is a former international banker and wealth manager with UBS. In 2012, Mr. Birkenfeld made history when he obtained the largest whistleblower reward ever given to an individual whistleblower in the twenty-five year history of federal qui tam or whistleblower reward laws, for reporting IRS Tax Fraud. The award was obtained by attorneys from the law firm of Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto after three years of litigation before the IRS Whistleblower Office and recognized Mr. Birkenfeld’s numerous contributions to the public interest." www.whistleblowers.org/members/bradley-birkenfeld/

Only one going to jail? That ain’t justice.

The eye of on ?

9 years ago!

The rich people make the rules in their favor sort of like bribbing and saying its lobbying or real estate.

The Cayman .Virgin Island are fully supported by the Feds.

Didn't he violate Swiss law by doing this?

He went to prison because someone in government was among that crowd of 19,000.

“Where would you put two diamonds” “in my ahhhhh, next question”

Betrayal... SAD

taxes:illegal

Don't trust, any government employee,

We all know what happens to whistle blowers, re Snowden, Manning, Assange etc.

n the United States, he was convicted by the DOJ for a single charge of fraud conspiracy and served 31 months in a federal penitentiary from 2010 to 2012 with a fine of $30,000. After he applied for whistleblower status and protection, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) awarded him a settlement of $104 million through their Whistleblower Office, the largest award in US history.[5

the host wants to indite the whistleblower lol

Oh Swiss, once a heaven for money. Look somewhere else folks!

I wonder what Jeffery Epstein knows about this kind of thing ?

2007...........................27

I hope he gets every penny a whistleblower deserves. He qualified. You poor traitor prosecutors.

Poor guy

yup they are feeding you to them lmfao !

I would have stuck them into cavities in my teeth... LOL

UBS still standing

Switzerland. WWI Neutral. WWII Neutral. RHINK ABOUT THAT!

This the sheeple-friendly portion of what Birkenfeld has to say.

But I’ve done this several times for “Sugar Daddy’s “ 😂😂 smart ppl don’t pay taxes

This guy must have hit-men on his hit-men.