Ministers should urgently rethink plans for a deal with Switzerland which would see UK tax evaders let off lightly while harming poor countries, says Christian Aid.
‘We fear that the agreement will be soft on the Britons who have illegally hidden billions in the Alpine tax haven but hard on developing countries, which also suffer from Swiss banking secrecy,’ said Christian Aid Director Loretta Minghella.
‘In a week when there has been a lot of talk in the UK – following the riots – of a moral deficit in society, it is extraordinary that the UK Government appears poised to let tax evaders off with nothing more than a regular tax bill.
‘People who have hidden money in secret Swiss bank accounts in order to evade their legal responsibilities to the UK will be able to escape unpunished and they won’t even have to reveal their identities to the UK taxman.’
The proposed agreement will lead to Britons with secret Swiss bank accounts starting to pay tax on them, which the Swiss will pass on to the UK – but crucially, without revealing those people’s identities.
Christian Aid believes the deal will seriously damage global efforts to curb tax dodging – a menace which it estimates costs poor countries $160 billion a year, far more than they receive in aid.
Germany is also reported to have initialed a similar deal with Switzerland.
Poor countries lack the political and economic clout to do such deals with Switzerland – but they too lose billions as a result of money being illegally hidden in tax havens.
And just like the UK, they need that money to fund vital public services such as schools, hospitals and justice systems.
Ms Minghella added: ‘I urge UK ministers to reconsider the Swiss tax deal as a matter of urgency.’
Christian Aid is calling on the UK and other G20 Governments to use their November summit meeting in Cannes to bring about an end to the tax haven secrecy exemplified by Switzerland.
Specifically, the G20 should broker a new system of automatic information exchange between Governments – including those of poor countries – to help them to detect when citizens hide wealth offshore.
The following two extracts were taken from a 339 page file /document sent to —–640 MP’s —- 460 Lords . —-on —Aug.4 – 6th. 2011.
Ivan Pictet.
Managing Partner in Pictet & Cie Bank – Switzerland. ( Stepped down.)
President of Geneva Financial Centre.( Stepped Down)
World Bank committee member.
United Nations. Investment Committee member.
Vice President – Global Humanitarian Forum.
Member of Henokiens.
Blackstone Group — Board Member.
Past President – Geneva Private Bankers Association. ( Stepped Down.)
Peter Humphries met Ivan Pictet in their London offices to open an account .( 18th.May. 1995.) He was introduced to Ivan Pictet by a mutual friend a Mr. David Armitage .
When Ivan Pictet responded to a fax sent by David Armitage in 1997 regarding Loach and Humphries paper work and the fact that they hadn’t been paid , he commented that Susan Oliphant was ( just a secretary , with no authority.) yet her business card showed her to be ( Manager Private Clients. )
Doc. (7). David Armitage .—Fax to Jack Loach. ( From Pictet File.)
Doc. (8). David Armitage. — Witness Statement.
Her witness statement given in March. 2000 to West Yorkshire Fraud
Squad reads ( she was a manager in the private clients section) .
From her statement it showed that she had been a manager some four to five years when Ivan Pictet lied about her status .
Ivan Pictet told an even more unbelievable lie when he told Mr.David
Armitage that the paperwork he had faxed through were forgeries .
Ivan Pictet then told David Armitage to destroy the documents , which he did , thankfully they were only copies .
A letter from Pictet & Cie legal dept . April. 1998 backed up their bosses story with regards to the authenticity of the documents by saying that they had been misappropriated and misused . ( Yes by their management .)
Doc. (1). Legal Dept. – Pictet.– to solicitors – Adelstone/Keane.
In Leeds Court in 2001 , the documents that Ivan Pictet wanted destroyed were admitted when given in evidence .( They were genuine .)
Surely with a bank of such reputation ( the Rolls Royce of Swiss bank’s ) they would have called in the police to catch anybody using or forging their paperwork . ( They were genuine .)
West Yorkshire Police /Bradford Court. Order 1999.
Yet they still withheld crucial documentation required under this order.
In early 2001 Ivan Pictet and all his partner’s at the Pictet & Cie bank in Geneva were made aware of our complaints and were told of their non compliance with the Court Order . Re- Judge Mcallum in 1999 . Sending them the evidence and the documentation . The only reply we got was from their solicitor in London a Monty Raphael , to send all future correspondence to him .
Feb .26th 2004 . Barry Sheerman .M.P. writes to Ivan Pictet about both Mr.Humphries and Mr.Loach’s complaints explaining his concern and the serious nature of their complaints . Solicitor Monty Raphael replies .
Doc. (A). Barry Sheerman .M.P.— to Ivan Pictet. Geneva.
When the F.S.A began to investigate a complaint made by Mr.Humphries and Mr.Loach , Susan Oliphant left the bank in the same month that the complaint landed at the F.S.A. ( She had remained in the banks employment some five years after the crimes were committed , the crimes of which the bank were well aware .)
The F.S.A. concluded after their so called investigation that with Susan Broadhead already having left Pictet Asset Management who was there to prosecute . The bank and the F.S.A . referred to her as a (Rogue Element)
In our opinion she was made the scapegoat .
Ivan Pictet. ( Some of the crimes he committed.)
(1) Conspiring to pervert the Course of Justice.
(2) Perverting the Course of Justice.
(3) Contempt of Court.
Pictet & Cie. Bank – list of crimes.
1996 — Breach in London.
2003 — FSA — States rogues operating in Pictet’s –London
Office . Ivan Pictet said documents were forgeries but
were lated proved to be genuine. Had documents held
in London office destroyed. (hoping to hide crimes.)
2007 — Japan. —- The Securities and Exchange Surveillance
issued a recommendation that the Prime Minister and
The Commissioner of the FSA to take disciplinary
action against Pictet Asset Management. Japan Ltd.
2008 — Dec. —Pictet Bank state — “ we have never chosen
any funds linked to Madoff.”
2011 — Madoff Trustees sue Pictet & Cie. For $156 Million.
2011— Bank at centre of Bribery and money laundering case.
Being sued for $350 million. ( In U.S.A.)
2012.— April.– Geneva Bank Pictet used in Offshore Tax
Scheme U.S. Authority states.
2012.— July.– De- Spiegel —- States– Pictet Bank uses
a letter box company in Panama and a tax loophole in
London to gain German millionaires as clients.
British Justice. — Update. Sept 16th 2012.
Lawyers — we cannot promise you’ll get justice but you will get the law.
We are getting neither.
The Problem.— the following are supposed to be whiter than white.
Lawyers. –Peters & Peters.-London.— Monty Raphael. Q.C.
Bankers.- Pictet& Cie.-London- Switzerland.— Ivan Pictet.
Government Institutions . F.S.A.- Financial Services Authority.
Police.— Sir Norman Bettison. and numerous West Yorkshire Police
officers –guilty of crimes.
** They have broken the “law” but we cannot get “justice.”
We were fobbed off in 2005 by the FSA when we pointed out some fifteen
shortcomings in their regulatory and legal obligations in dealing with the banks.
Along came RBS and all that followed. Banking chaos — completely out of
control. Brought the country to its knees.
Our dealings with Law Enforcement bodies at all levels showed the same
arrogance — we are the law we protect our own — bugger Joe public. —
bugger the laws we are paid to enforce.
Sir Norman Bettison –Chief Constable –West Yorkshire Police ordered the Forces
Solicitor to ignore a High Court judges ruling to hand over “ non sensitive –
unused material” — . ( can anybody control him.)
Monty Raphael Q.C. — too clever by half — in conjunction with his client the
notorious Pictet & Cie. Swiss Bank — decide to leave out / destroy crucial
documents requested under a High Court Order.
None of the above pillar’s of society will take me to Court and say I’m telling
untruth’s, I keep on hoping.
Read the story;
Google; — Ivan Pictet. Banker.