Los Angeles White-Collar Crimes About to Be Charged Against UBS Clients in the United States

One of the first criminal prosecutions arising out of the settlement between the United States and the Swiss bank UBS, the second largest wealth manager, has just occurred in Los Angeles this week. The Federal government had sued the Swiss bank in order to gain access to the names of Americans who had participated in Los Angeles white-collar crimes by not disclosing assets as a well as tax evasion.

The prosecution of Malibu resident, John McCarthy, occurred after UBS disclosed 250 names of U.S. residents who had illegally transferred money out of the country and hid the money at the Swiss bank. The Feds filed the lawsuit in order to compel UBS to turn over the names of 52,000 Americans who were suspected of hiding in excess of $13 billion of money and other assets. Because of the number of names that are sought for possible prosecution, and the extent of possible criminal charges, it is important to hire a pre-filing Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. A top-notch criminal defense attorney will be able to counsel his client on the best way to either comply with the law, or get amnesty for previous improper acts.

The settlement reached with Swiss banking authorities resulted in UBS paying $780 million in fines and turned over 250 U.S. names and information concerning those, and other individuals that used the banks services. Based upon this information, McCarthy was charged with tax evasion and secreting assets into the Swiss bank without disclosing those assets. Prosecution of these white-collar crimes in Los Angeles and Southern California are increasing as the Feds come close to the end of an amnesty period that ends on September 23, 2009
White-collar prosecutors will aggressively seek cases against those who do not come clean before that fateful date. McCarthy faces up to 5 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, and full restitution. He will appear in a Los Angeles court on September 14, 2009.

If you have been arrested for a crime and need to hire a Los Angeles pre-filing defense attorney or you are under investigation for violent crime in Southern California, please contact Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut for 24/7 assistance by phone at (323) 464-6453 or toll free at (888) 334-6344 or online.