Bradley Birkenfeld
Bradley Birkenfeld | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bradley Charles Birkenfeld February 26, 1965 Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Norwich University American Graduate School of Business |
| Occupation | Private banker |
| Known for | 2007 Birkenfeld Disclosure |
| Criminal charge | Conspiracy to defraud the United States |
| Criminal penalty | 30 months at the FCI Federal Penitentiary and US$30,000 fine |
Bradley Charles Birkenfeld (born February 26, 1965) is an American private banker, convicted felon, and whistleblower. During the mid- to late-2000s, he made a series of disclosures about UBS Group AG clients, in violation of Swiss banking secrecy laws, to the U.S. government alleging possible tax evasion. Known as the 2007 "Birkenfeld Disclosure", the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had reached a deferred prosecution agreement with UBS that resulted in a US$780 million fine and the release of previously privileged information on American tax evaders.
In the United States, he was convicted by the DOJ for a single charge of fraud conspiracy and served 30 months in a federal penitentiary from 2010 to 2012 with a fine of $30,000. After he applied for whistleblower status and protection, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) awarded him a settlement of $104 million through their Whistleblower Office.