Reyl & Cie has pressed criminal charges against a former employee-turned whistleblower who has publically accused the Swiss private bank of helping French politicians to dodge taxes by maintaining hidden accounts.
The bank revealed on Saturday that it had issued the complaint to the Swiss attorney-general’s office last month after its former employee told the media that he had a list of 15 French minister or ex-ministers that held undeclared accounts at Reyl.
The claims of assisting tax evaders, along with allegations that it was implicated in hiding non-declared funds of former French budget minister Jerome Cahuzac, led to the Paris authorities opening an investigation into Reyl in May.
Reyl responded by filing charges in Switzerland against its ex-employee, alleging that he falsified documents and violated Swiss banking secrecy laws.
The bank said it was left with «no alternative» after the French media were contacted by its former worker. Reyl also stressed in a media release on Saturday that it held no accounts of French politicians.
Complaints mount
The charges are the latest in a string of criminal complaints against former Swiss bankers that have handed over confidential details of clients to other countries.
In June, a former Julius Bär IT worker was charged by Canton Zurich prosecutors for allegedly selling information to the German tax authorities.
Last year Switzerland demanded the arrest of German tax officials for their role in buying Swiss bank data.
Switzerland also tried unsuccessfully to extradite former HSBC employee Hervé Falciani from Spain after he stole client information from the Geneva branch of the bank.
On the other side of the coin, several Swiss bankers, lawyers and other financial advisors have been indicted in the United States on charges of aiding and abetting US tax cheats.