Swiss whistleblower hands bank data to WikiLeaks

Wikileaks to 

'disclose tax dodge files'

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (L) receives CD's containing data on offshore bank account holders from former Swiss private banker Rudolf Elmer at the Frontline club in London, January 17, 2011.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange vowed to reveal confidential account details of rich and famous individuals after taking delivery of a new dossier from a former Swiss banker.

Whistleblower Rudolf Elmer, who handed over two CDs to Mr Assange in London today, said he wanted to expose mass tax evasion before he flies back to Switzerland to stand trial accused of stealing information from a bank.

Although he has not named those involved, he claims the CDs contain information about 40 politicians along with business people, multinational conglomerates and figures from the art world.

At the Frontline Club in London, Mr Elmer gave Mr Assange the CDs, which he said contained bank account details of "high net worth" individuals and businesses. He said those named in the documents are from Britain, the US, Germany, Austria, Asia and "all over".

Mr Elmer, a former executive at Julius Baer Bank, said he was releasing the information to educate society.

"I do think, as a banker, I have the right to stand up if something is wrong," he said.

"I am against the system. I know how the system works and I know the day-to-day business. From that point of view, I wanted to let society know what I know. It is damaging our society."

Mr Assange, whose whistleblowing website is still working through a leaked cache of about 250,000 diplomatic memos, praised the ex-banker's attempts to expose alleged shady practices in the financial industry.

Mr Assange, currently fighting extradition to Sweden where he faces sex offence allegations, said the names could be published on the WikiLeaks website in two weeks, once they have been verified.

In what is thought to be his first public engagement since he was given bail, Mr Assange said: "We dealt with the Bank Julius Baer issue in 2008 - that's when it had its peak of prominence. It is not a new issue for us.

"I have read some of Mr Elmer's writings. He is clearly a bona fide whistleblower and therefore I feel, given the past involvement in the case, that we have some duty to support him on that matter."

Mr Elmer is due to appear before a Zurich regional court later this week to answer charges of coercion and violating Switzerland's strict banking secrecy laws.

Australian Mr Assange was arrested in London last month on a Swedish extradition warrant.

He has vowed to fight extradition and suggested he is being deliberately targeted because of the WikiLeaks diplomatic cable disclosures, which have angered the US authorities in particular.

Under the terms of his bail, Mr Assange must live at the mansion home of Vaughan Smith, the owner of the Frontline Club.

Mr Assange said WikiLeaks could hand some of the information from Mr Elmer to the Serious Fraud Office in London

He said that had been done before, with information about the Icelandic banking industry.

"Mr Elmer has been fighting his case for some five years to in one way or another, draw attention to this data," Mr Assange said.

"He certainly has had something very important to say about this matter. I understand that he is in a position to have more to say and more to give to the world to help them understand these corrupt practices."

Mr Assange said that data would all be verified before it was published.

He said the whistle-blowing website, which champions information transparency, was not yet open for public business.

"We are not open yet for public business. The volume of material that we would receive is too high for our internal mechanisms, but we are receiving in other ways, like this, in this manner," he said.

At the press conference, which was packed with members of the international media, Mr Assange said that WikiLeaks has so far released 2.3% of the 250,000 US diplomatic cables and the website was also working on other releases.

Mr Elmer was dismissed from Julius Baer Bank in 2002 after working for eight years as the chief operating officer of Julius Baer Bank and Trust Company in the Cayman Islands.

The bank claims he launched an "intimidation campaign and vendetta" against it and spread "baseless" rumors.

It said he falsified documents and made threats against employees.

A statement released by the bank said: "Evidently disgruntled and frustrated about unfulfilled career aspirations, Mr Elmer exhibited behavior that was detrimental and unacceptable for the Bank, which led to termination of the employment relationship.

"After his demands, including financial compensation, in connection with the dismissal could not be satisfied, Mr Elmer embarked in 2004 on a personal intimidation campaign and vendetta against Julius Baer.

"The aim of his activities was and is to discredit Julius Baer as well as clients in the eyes of the public."

 

The statement went on: "In 2005 the Swiss press reported on a CD containing data that reputedly related to Bank Julius Baer and was leaked to the media.

"Based on these reports, Julius Baer notified the regulatory authorities and filed a legal complaint against persons unknown.

"The official investigation also covered subsequent threats against the Bank and certain employees.

"The extensive inquiries eventually led to the indictment by the district attorney that will go to trial on 19 January 2011 in the District Court of Zurich." 

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