
The Department of Justice announced today that BBVA Suiza S.A. has reached a resolution under the department’s Swiss Bank Program. “Swiss banks such as BBVA Suiza S.A. are providing detailed information regarding their efforts to conceal U.S.-related accounts, and are turning over the names of individuals and entities that facilitated this criminal conduct,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. “With each agreement, we are lifting the veil of secrecy shrouding those that assist accountholders in the evasion of their U.S. tax obligations.” The Swiss Bank Program, which was announced on Aug. 29, 2013, provides a path for Swiss banks to resolve potential criminal liabilities in the United States. Swiss banks eligible to enter the program were required to advise the department by Dec. 31, 2013, that they had reason to believe that they had committed tax-related criminal offenses in connection with undeclared U.S.-related accounts. Banks already under criminal investigation related to their Swiss-banking activities and all individuals were expressly excluded from the program.