Swisspartners Group Entered Into NPA to Avoid Criminal Tax Prosecution But Must Pay $4.4 Million in Forfeiture and Restitution for Assisting U.S. Tax Evasion

To avoid prosecution for tax evasion and other alleged crimes, the Swisspartners Investment Network AG, a Swiss-based asset management firm, and three of its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the Swisspartners Group) entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Although many taxpayers have been entering the IRS Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP), for some taxpayers it is now too late as the Swisspartners Group has already disclosed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office the names of 110 U.S. taxpayers who may have failed to file Foreign Bank Account Reports (FBARs) and/or been engaged in tax fraud.

Although the Swisspartners Group avoided criminal prosecution for assisting U.S. taxpayers in opening and maintaining undeclared foreign bank accounts from about 2001 to 2011, it couldn’t avoid paying large sums of money for its wrongdoing. Swisspartners Group agreed to pay $4.4 million in forfeiture and restitution. Of the $4.4 million, $3.5 million represents fees that Swisspartners Group earned by assisting U.S. taxpayers in opening and maintaining undeclared accounts, and $900,000 represents the approximate amount of unpaid taxes arising from the Swisspartners Group involvement in tax evasion.

There are several factors that led to the NPA between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Swisspartners Group: (1) beginning around May 2008, the Swisspartners Group voluntarily implemented remedial measures against offshore tax evasion; (2) without any pressure from the U.S. authorities or obligation under a criminal investigation or prosecution, the Swisspartners Group reported criminal conduct by its clients; (3) the Swisspartners Group produced 110 account files that identified U.S. taxpayers who evaded taxes; (4) the Swisspartners Group’s willingness and ongoing cooperation with the U.S. authorities to combat tax evasion; and (5) the Swisspartners Group, when investigated by outside counsel, made true representations of the misconduct that was under investigation.

The Swisspartners Group admitted, as part of the NPA, that it knew certain U.S. taxpayers maintained undeclared foreign bank accounts with the intent to evade U.S. taxes. Swisspartners Group also admitted that it helped certain U.S. taxpayers conceal beneficial ownership of undeclared assets from the IRS by, among other things: (1) creating sham foundations or other sham entities that operated as the nominal account holders; (2) using non-U.S. nationals on accounts or insurance policies; (3) facilitating the transportation of large amounts of cash into the U.S. for the benefit of U.S. taxpayers; and (4) arranging large cash deposits in Swiss financial institutions for the benefit of U.S. taxpayers.

Under the NPA, the Swisspartners Group must continue to cooperate with the U.S. tax authorities for at least three years from the date of the agreement; otherwise, the U.S. Attorney’s Office may prosecute the Swisspartners Group.

To avoid prosecution for tax evasion and other alleged crimes, the Swisspartners Investment Network AG, a Swiss-based asset management firm, and three of its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the Swisspartners Group) entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Although many taxpayers have been entering the tax litigation attorneys at Brager Tax Law Group, A P.C.