UBS whistleblower Bradley Birkenfeld paid $104m

Birkenfeld, who has been released from prison after serving 30 months for helping UBS clients evade tax, has been awarded $104m by US tax authorities for revealing how the Swiss bank helped wealthy Americans evade tax.

The 47 year–old's disclosures to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other US authorities helped force a $780m settlement between UBS and the US in early 2009.

As part of the settlement, UBS handed over the details of 250 accounts Americans had – a figure that later climbed close to 5,000.

Although Mr Birkenfeld acted as a whistleblower, he was also sent to prison for his own role in helping UBS clients evade tax after he pleaded guilty in 2008.

The Telegraph

The IRS uses the Whistleblower bonus payments, including the $104m paid to ex-UBS banker Birkenfeld, to combat tax evasion.

$104m for 30 months in prison. Not bad work if you can get it.

reply to post by ollncasino


A lot can happen in prison in almost 3 years....

100+ million is some really nice compensation like you suggest, but being rewarded, despite his past transgressions angers me.

I hope they taxed that 100 mil they gave him

I think i may know some of my neighbours who lied on their returns, can i get some money please? Hold the jail time though..

reply to post by MDDoxs


not if he pays people what they need. He can run the place. If I had that much money, they should not lock me up, I would emerge with an army....

reply to post by BIHOTZ


Interesting though

He will need an army of convicts to protect him when he got out of prison he probably made some very wealthy and powerful people angry for ratting them out.