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Super Rich Tax Cheats Outed by Bank Clerk
ABC news ^ | July 15, 2008 | BRIAN ROSS and RHONDA SCHWARTZ

Posted on 07/15/2008 5:33:39 PM PDT by T Ruth

Hundreds of super-rich American tax cheats have, in effect, turned themselves in to the IRS after a bank computer technician in the tiny European country of Liechtenstein came forward with the names of US citizens who had set up secret accounts there, according to Washington lawyers investigating the scheme.

The bank clerk, Heinrich Kieber, has been branded a thief by the government of Liechtenstein for violating the country's bank secrecy laws.

He is now in hiding but scheduled to testify to the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Thursday via a video statement from a secret location, according to Congressional investigators.

Aides for committee chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) are scheduled to provide reporters with a background briefing later this morning in Washington on the committee's investigation of tax haven banks in Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

Aides say the hearing will also focus on the role of the giant Swiss bank UBS and its alleged efforts to help wealthy Americans hide their money from the IRS through shell companies in Liechtenstein.

* * *

Kieber reportedly sold three CD's full of names and data to tax authorities to 12 countries including Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy and the United States.

* * *

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: irs; liechtenstein; tax; taxcheats; taxes; ubs
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Will the public ever see who's on this list? Will the Democrats, or the Republicans for that matter, allow the names of their major contributors to see the light of day?
1 posted on 07/15/2008 5:33:40 PM PDT by T Ruth
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To: T Ruth

Kennedy? Levin is likely protecting all sorts of ‘rat butts.


2 posted on 07/15/2008 5:36:21 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Huma for co-president! (it ain't over 'til it's over))
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To: T Ruth
Kieber reportedly sold three CD's full of names and data to tax authorities to 12 countries including Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy and the United States.

Call 1-800-U SQUEAL

3 posted on 07/15/2008 5:37:44 PM PDT by Polybius
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To: T Ruth

Doubtful. I imagine 75% or more of our representatives, Hollywood, and George Soros are utilizing it heavily.

What will happen though is a very selective cherry picking of the list to scream about more republican culture of corruption and senate hearings, to which the republicans’ silence will be deafening.


4 posted on 07/15/2008 5:37:49 PM PDT by TheZMan (Bitter backwoods east Texan Christian gun clinger with the AC at 72 degrees.)
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To: T Ruth

I’m guessing Kennedy, Heinz/Kerry, Rockefeller, Feinstein, Corzine, Bloomberg, etc. may turn up. Soros?


5 posted on 07/15/2008 5:38:13 PM PDT by Ron in Acreage (GREEN=The new color of communism)
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To: Paladin2

Yep. Only Republican names will appear in the NY Times and ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC....


6 posted on 07/15/2008 5:43:48 PM PDT by HoosierHawk
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To: T Ruth

I hope some Hollywood phonies get outed!


7 posted on 07/15/2008 5:47:29 PM PDT by The_Republican (Conservatives are in trouble because they hate Scarlett Johanson.)
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To: T Ruth

Levin won’t let the list go public until all of the Dem’s have been scrubbed off of the list.


8 posted on 07/15/2008 5:53:00 PM PDT by G Larry (Fight B.O. with RIGHT GUARD! Vote McCain!)
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To: T Ruth
I wouldn't make a hero out of this guy. He sold personal information on bank depositors which didn't belong to him. He violated the trust of the institutions and the law by doing so.

Sure, it is possible that some of the depositors are tax scofflaws. It is also possible that some of them are perfectly innocent. But anyone on the list, guilty or not, is going to be harassed by the tax authorities of various nanny states just for having an account.

9 posted on 07/15/2008 5:53:14 PM PDT by Vigilanteman
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To: cripplecreek; AuntB

This could get interesting.


10 posted on 07/15/2008 5:53:41 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (If Islam conquers the world, the Earth will be at peace because the human race will be killed off.)
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To: T Ruth

Who cares, its not like our govt has a history of using tax money wisely. screw the IRS and screw this guy who released peoples private information.


11 posted on 07/15/2008 5:54:19 PM PDT by driftdiver (No More Obama - The corruption hasnÂ’t changed despite all our hopes.)
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To: Vigilanteman

“But anyone on the list, guilty or not, is going to be harassed by the tax authorities of various nanny states just for having an account. “

Yep, it will be “prove you are innocent.”


12 posted on 07/15/2008 5:56:56 PM PDT by driftdiver (No More Obama - The corruption hasnÂ’t changed despite all our hopes.)
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To: T Ruth
The bank clerk, Heinrich Kieber, has been branded a thief by the government of Liechtenstein for violating the country's bank secrecy laws.

Time for Liechtenstein to invest in some "wet work".

13 posted on 07/15/2008 6:00:15 PM PDT by ikka
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To: Vigilanteman
Only his lawyer called him a hero.

Now that the info is out there, we're just wondering how it will be handled.

14 posted on 07/15/2008 6:04:16 PM PDT by HoosierHawk
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To: Vigilanteman
He sold personal information on bank depositors which didn't belong to him.

Bears repeating.
Would I like to see the Dems outed on this kind of deal ? Of course I would, but I'd rather it be done through some other means.

15 posted on 07/15/2008 6:06:01 PM PDT by dfwddr ( Duncan Hunter .)
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To: T Ruth

I suspect some ex-wives will want to see this list.


16 posted on 07/15/2008 6:06:21 PM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: T Ruth

The money is best left in the hands of the rich... to create jobs and new wealth.
The government is fiscally irresponsible and the IRS is a bully that operates in many ways outside the constitution.


17 posted on 07/15/2008 6:10:48 PM PDT by Bobalu (What do I know, I'm a Typical White Guy)
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To: Vigilanteman
I wouldn't make a hero out of this guy. He sold personal information on bank depositors which didn't belong to him. He violated the trust of the institutions and the law by doing so.

Well, now that the IRS has this information, and they start collecting the money that is rightfully owed to the US government (just for being there for all of us during the tech stock bubble, the housing bubble, the gasoline & diesel bubble, etc., etc., etc.), ALL of the rest of us should see a significant decrease in the amount of taxes collected from us by the government.

Oh, look - a pig just flew by my window... ;-)

18 posted on 07/15/2008 6:14:13 PM PDT by an amused spectator (corruptissima republica, plurimae leges)
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To: T Ruth

Big brother must make sure it steals all of the money it can, even if you have your money in another country.


19 posted on 07/15/2008 6:15:03 PM PDT by FightThePower! (Fight the powers that be!)
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To: T Ruth
Hmm...there's nothing inherently illegal in having such a bank account, only in not reporting money made there to the IRS as foreign income. I'm just wondering if they do catch somebody that way, will evidence arising from the data theft be admissible in court? I haven't a clue, actually, I'm just posing the question for somebody who does.
20 posted on 07/15/2008 6:16:16 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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