Bradley Birkenfeld, a former UBS banker and informant in the UBS case is now saying he can further assist in the tax case against the bank. He was slated to start a three year prison sentence early in January, but is reportedly hoping that additional cooperation with the government will reduce that sentence.
As this article on NYTimes.com explains, Birkenfeld was sentenced in August, but filed a new postponement request earlier this week with a federal district court in Florida.
The filing also requested a hearing to reconsider the 40-month sentence imposed on Mr. Birkenfeld on Aug. 21.
Prosecutors described Mr. Birkenfeld as the man most responsible for igniting an investigation into rich Americans’ use of secret Swiss bank accounts to avoid taxes. Partly because of Mr. Birkenfeld’s disclosures, UBS has agreed to disclose to the United States the names of 4,450 wealthy Americans suspected of hiding assets and dodging taxes in secret accounts.
The United States Treasury loses an estimated $100 billion a year to offshore tax cheats.
