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Hervé Falciani

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31: 236:, opened his own investigation, not against Falciani, but against alleged tax fraudsters appearing in the list. The so-called Falciani list remains in France. An international collaboration began with various judicial authorities and remains ongoing. The Falciani list created a diplomatic incident between Switzerland and France. The latter finally agreed to return the data, but only after the contents had been examined. Afterwards Falciani fled to Spain on the advice of the U.S. government because "it would be easy for someone to pay" to try to kill him. Upon arrival, he was arrested in Barcelona in July 2012, due to the Swiss international warrant. 224:), and which is monitored by the police. He hoped this would allow Swiss prosecutors to become aware of HSBC's criminal activities. In their prosecution against him, however, Swiss authorities claimed that he went to Beirut with the intention of selling the data for profit. In either case, an alarm was indeed set off after a woman reported that a man calling himself Ruben al-Chidiak had attempted to sell her the private data. Falciani says he paid for the airline tickets from his own HSBC account so that authorities could track him. 209:, and proposed a new system, which was rejected by his superiors. After the HSBC reaction, and because he believed that "it is a systematic violation of fundamental rights of citizens by subtracting funds that should be allocated to the general interest", for two years Falciani collected evidence of potential tax fraud involving 130,000 individuals. Falciani tried to make the information available to the Swiss judicial authorities, but was unsuccessful. This claim was corroborated by French prosecutors. 117: 1272: 355:. Falciani had also offered his services to the government of India, which had been investigating money laundering abetted by HSBC. The Swiss government had refused to help the Indian government in its investigation of Indian citizens who were abetted in tax evasion by HSBC on the basis that the information detailing HSBC's alleged transgression was stolen. 252:, given the ongoing collaboration between Spanish and French courts, decided not to extradite Falciani, the reason being that he had provided information indicative of "severely irregular" suspicious activity, and of illegal and criminal offenses. He was released because in Spain there is no legal concept of 271:
for a time, but continued working with Spanish authorities, and stood as a candidate in Spanish elections for the anti-corruption X Party. In April 2018 he was again arrested in Madrid and again released in September after a Spanish high court rejected the extradition request on the grounds that the
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in November 2014. In November 2015, Switzerland’s federal court sentenced Falciani to five years in prison – the "longest sentence ever demanded by the confederation's public ministry in a case of banking data theft". Falciani was accused of "aggravated financial espionage, data theft
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Falciani claims that his motives are to repel Switzerland’s "attack" on other countries' tax laws and exchequers. HSBC's position is that Falciani is not a whistleblower, that he has instead tried to sell, not release, the stolen data, and only started to cooperate with authorities after being
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to decide on his extradition to Switzerland. On 18 December 2012, the Audiencia Nacional released him provisionally. It was in maximum security conditions: eight bodyguards and bulletproof vest. After that Falciani hid in Spain under a system of maximum security protection sponsored by the
348:. Falciani (who was not named in the indictment, as is customary for Switzerland) was charged with stealing information from HSBC's Geneva offices and passing it on to French tax authorities. The Swiss prosecutors said they were willing to try Falciani in absentia for his alleged crimes. 330:
appears somewhat confused and inconsistent with the factual story that we present, which do seem objectively specific episodes of provision of information and effective collaboration with authorities of other states, which indicates a determined attitude of Falciani and not an economic
121: 416:"HSBC files show how Swiss bank helped clients dodge taxes and hide millions: Data in massive cache of leaked secret bank account files lifts lid on questionable practices at subsidiary of one of world's biggest financial institutions" 256:, and information technology trade secrets can not be used to hide unlawful activities. In April 2014, Falciani was called to assist the Argentine federal taxation agency (AFIP) in the fight against money laundering. 227:
On 22 December 2008, Falciani was arrested, questioned and released. On release, Falciani travelled to France where he was arrested in January 2009, forcing the Swiss judiciary to issue an international
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between 2001 and 2008. In 2006, he reorganized the database of the organization to improve its security. Falciani has declared that he realized that the way data was managed at HSBC fostered
465: 993: 184:. The indictment accused Falciani of stealing information from HSBC's Geneva offices and passing it on to tax authorities in France. HSBC had been indicted in France for 1101: 699: 220:. Falciani claims that he did this in order to intentionally activate an internal alarm system available to Swiss banking employers, the Swiss Bankers Association ( 480: 1210: 150:
who is credited with "the biggest banking leak in history." In 2008, Falciani began collaborating with numerous European nations by providing allegedly illegal
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for him. Switzerland called on France to search his home and to seize the laptop used to send the files. After searching the address, the prosecutor of Nice,
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relating to more than 130,000 suspected tax evaders with Swiss bank accounts – specifically those with accounts in HSBC's Swiss subsidiary
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p. 66. "The HSBC-2010 and Liechtenstein-2008 affairs are examples. In the HSBC-2010 affair, Hervé Falciani, a former bank executive with HSBC in
415: 1336: 170: 165:", a list of HSBC clients who allegedly used the bank to evade taxes and launder money. Falciani leaked the list to ex-French Finance Minister 362:, Falciani said that Switzerland indicted him as part of an "agenda" to stifle whistleblowers like himself who have exposed corruption in the 1331: 1316: 1311: 932: 842: 979: 541: 460: 296: 564: 1301: 1011: 681: 1065: 1326: 1119: 1321: 590: 742: 860: 1083: 511: 1276: 717: 1029: 879: 816: 790: 654: 249: 240: 216:
and, using a false identity, attempted to sell what he claimed was private client information from a Swiss bank to
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On 11 December 2014, Falciani was indicted in absentia by the Swiss federal government for violating the country's
1235: 326:, a high court in Spain, stated that "this fact" (the court's quotation marks in reference to the allegation): 1165: 1296: 363: 341: 177: 622: 1291: 345: 181: 233: 1180: 682:"Falciani colaboró con varias Justicias europeas con datos que llenarían "un tren de mercancías"" 323: 501:, was arrested by the Swiss police on suspicion of data smuggling. He took refuge in France ..." 793:[Hervé Falciani: "The United States advised me: Go to Spain, your life is in danger"]. 771: 657:[Falciani stole the data from the Swiss bank after seeing their "scandalous" actions]. 693: 166: 155: 1084:"Elections: Falciani tête de liste aux Européennes en Espagne - News Monde: Europe - tdg.ch" 352: 198: 185: 143: 138: 90: 295:
In February 2015, it was announced that Falciani will collaborate with the Spanish party
1211:"Black Money Whistleblower Herve Falciani Alleges 'Agenda' in Indictment by Switzerland" 1249: 1139: 229: 340:
Falciani was indicted by Switzerland on 11 December 2014, for violating the country's
1285: 380: 147: 655:"Falciani robó los datos de la banca suiza tras ver sus actuaciones "escandalosas"" 395: 375: 253: 221: 173:). Lagarde, in turn, sent the list to governments whose citizens were on the list. 162: 108: 440: 280:
Hervé Falciani was first in the electoral list of the new Spanish political party
955: 882:[The National Court rejects the extradition of Falciani to Switzerland]. 750: 461:"Whistleblower? Thief? Hero? Introducing the Source of the Data that Shook HSBC" 390: 385: 206: 61: 791:"Hervé Falciani: "Estados Unidos me avisó: Ve a España, tu vida corre peligro"" 565:"HSBC whistleblower jailed for five years over biggest leak in banking history" 512:"HSBC man who passed clients' details to tax investigators escapes extradition" 905: 595: 289: 151: 414:
Leigh, David; Ball, James; Garside, Juliette; Pegg, David (8 February 2015).
1102:"Hervé Falciani colaborará con Podemos para luchar contra la evasión fiscal" 315: 217: 201:
technology park, Falciani became a computer engineer at the Swiss branch of
1030:"El número dos de las primarias del Partido X cede su puesto a Simona Levi" 1271: 1047: 259:
Falciani published a book about his experience in the HSBC scandal called
1169:, Schumpeter Business and management blog, The Economist, 16 October 2013 445: 299:
to draft measures against tax evasion for the party's political program.
861:"Falciani cifra en 200.000 millones el dinero que se evade en impuestos" 819:[Arrested ex-employee of HSBC accused of stealing secret data]. 272:
Spanish legal code does not recognize ‘aggravated financial espionage’.
281: 843:"Falciani y el Estado español: paradigma de la corrupción estructural" 498: 311: 308: 213: 314:
agents in Geneva, who were seeking information on bank clients with
908:[It can slow down the exit of black money from Argentina]. 351:
In the month prior to his indictment, France had indicted HSBC for
880:"La Audiencia Nacional rechaza la extradición de Falciani a Suiza" 268: 115: 817:"Arrestado el exempleado de HSBC acusado de robar datos secretos" 359: 202: 1204: 1202: 239:
He was jailed at Valdemoro prison (Madrid), waiting for the
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Spain rejects extraditing HSBC whistleblower to Switzerland
245: 1012:"Falciani tirará del equipo del Partido X en las europeas" 267:
in English) that was published in April 2015. He lived in
906:"Se puede frenar la salida de dinero negro de Argentina" 772:"Falciani: "En HSBC Suiza vi actuaciones escandalosas"" 542:"Ex-HSBC Employee Falciani Said Indicted on Data Theft" 743:"Todo lo que siempre quiso saber sobre Hervé Falciani" 495:
Bill Gates, Pay Your Fair Share of Taxes...Like We Do!
625:[Who is Falciani? What does Falciani know?]. 466:
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
248:. Finally, on 8 May 2013, Falciani was released. The 1243:Carvajal, Doreen; Minder, Raphael (8 August 2013). 1133:Carvajal, Doreen; Minder, Raphael (8 August 2013). 933:""SwissLeaks" : un polar signé Hervé Falciani" 535: 533: 322:imprisoned in Spain. Regarding this allegation the 104: 96: 86: 69: 40: 21: 481:"Ex-HSBC worker says US told him to flee to Spain" 189:and violation of commercial and banking secrecy". 1239:(2015, Milano, Chiarelettere con Angelo Mincuzzi) 288:. He was elected by citizens in Internet through 16:French-Italian systems engineer and whistleblower 292:. Finally the X Party did not obtain any seats. 956:"Why HSBC whistleblower fears for his freedom" 823:(in Spanish). Ediciones El País. 24 July 2012 711: 709: 593:[The Falciani list leads to Gürtel]. 8: 1066:"Hervé Falciani, un Indigné aux européennes" 616: 614: 1159: 1157: 698:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( 142:; born 9 January 1972) is a French-Italian 591:"La 'lista Falciani' conduce hasta Gürtel" 126:Hervé Falciani during an interview in 2013 29: 18: 623:"¿Quién es Falciani? ¿Qué sabe Falciani?" 441:"HSBC admits huge Swiss bank data theft" 648: 646: 644: 621:Sánchez, Juan Luis (18 December 2012). 406: 691: 563:Garside, Juliette (27 November 2015). 171:President of the European Central Bank 589:Romero, José Manuel (25 March 2013). 137: 7: 992:Jonathan Blitzer (11 January 2013). 653:Pérez, Fernando J. (15 April 2013). 307:Falciani claims he was kidnapped by 789:Altozano, Manuel (21 April 2013). 14: 878:Pérez, Fernando J. (8 May 2013). 540:Miller, Hugo (11 December 2014). 212:In 2008, Falciani made a trip to 1307:French people of Italian descent 1270: 1048:"Partido X, Partido del Futuro" 954:Badcock, James (May 14, 2018). 886:(in Spanish). Ediciones El País 797:(in Spanish). Ediciones El País 686:20minutos.es - Últimas Noticias 661:(in Spanish). Ediciones El País 599:(in Spanish). Ediciones El País 518:. Associated Press. 8 May 2013 360:Indian television network NDTV 1: 1337:Italian expatriates in Monaco 1179:Carreño, Belén (8 May 2013). 261:Séisme sur la planète finance 1332:Italian expatriates in Spain 1317:French expatriates in Monaco 1120:"Falciani ficha por Podemos" 265:Earthquake on Planet Finance 131:Hervé Daniel Marcel Falciani 45:Hervé Daniel Marcel Falciani 1312:French expatriates in Spain 1236:La cassaforte degli evasori 912:(in Spanish). 22 April 2014 680:20Minutos (15 April 2013). 1353: 1183:[Falciani, free]. 1166:The fall-out from Falciani 286:European elections of 2014 1245:"A Fugitive with a Cause" 1135:"A Fugitive with a Cause" 358:In an interview with the 28: 493:Brigitte Alepin (2012). 1302:People from Monte Carlo 716:Keefe, Patrick Radden. 282:Citizen Network X Party 1327:Italian whistleblowers 364:Swiss banking industry 333: 197:After studying at the 161:Falciani created the " 127: 35:Hervé Falciani in 2013 1322:French whistleblowers 1279:at Wikimedia Commons 931:Delahousse, Mathieu. 328: 125: 346:industrial espionage 182:industrial espionage 139:[falˈtʃaːni] 994:"Democracy. Period" 867:. 25 November 2013. 234:Eric de Montgolfier 1108:. 9 February 2015. 998:The New York Times 982:The Guardian, 2018 483:. AFP. 2013-04-21. 469:. 8 February 2015. 324:Audiencia Nacional 276:Political activity 250:Audiencia Nacional 241:Audiencia Nacional 152:stolen information 128: 1275:Media related to 1181:"Falciani, libre" 718:"The Bank Robber" 342:bank secrecy laws 178:bank secrecy laws 167:Christine Lagarde 156:HSBC Private Bank 123: 114: 113: 1344: 1274: 1261: 1259: 1257: 1223: 1222: 1220: 1218: 1209:Tiwari, Noopur. 1206: 1197: 1196: 1194: 1192: 1176: 1170: 1161: 1152: 1151: 1149: 1147: 1130: 1124: 1123: 1116: 1110: 1109: 1098: 1092: 1091: 1080: 1074: 1073: 1062: 1056: 1055: 1044: 1038: 1037: 1036:. 31 March 2014. 1026: 1020: 1019: 1008: 1002: 1001: 989: 983: 977: 971: 970: 968: 966: 951: 945: 944: 942: 940: 928: 922: 921: 919: 917: 902: 896: 895: 893: 891: 875: 869: 868: 857: 851: 850: 839: 833: 832: 830: 828: 813: 807: 806: 804: 802: 786: 780: 779: 778:. 15 April 2013. 768: 762: 761: 759: 758: 749:. 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Index


Monte Carlo
Sophia Antipolis
Lagarde list
[falˈtʃaːni]
systems engineer
whistleblower
stolen information
HSBC Private Bank
Lagarde list
Christine Lagarde
President of the European Central Bank
bank secrecy laws
industrial espionage
money laundering
Sophia Antipolis
HSBC
tax evasion
Beirut
Bank Audi
Swissbanking
arrest warrant
Eric de Montgolfier
Audiencia Nacional
UN
Audiencia Nacional
bank secrecy
Paris
Citizen Network X Party
European elections of 2014

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