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Some states are not pure guarantors of justice and peace. Some are downright kleptocracies. Many deposits in Swiss bank accounts are from people who need to sec
by tlb 16y ago
Some states are not pure guarantors of justice and peace. Some are downright kleptocracies. Many deposits in Swiss bank accounts are from people who need to secure their wealth from corrupt local officials.
The US is not a kleptocracy, but Olenicoff (the American who Birkenfeld smuggled diamonds for) has ample experience with them. A bio reads: Having escaped Stalin’s forced repatriation campaign [from Iran], the Olenicoffs sewed what little money they had into their coat linings and sailed for America. In that situation, a banker who helped them might be called a hero.
- natnat 16y agoOther deposits in Swiss bank accounts are from the very kleptocrats who keep their citizens from having any money. Where do you think Kim Jong-il keeps his billions? (Actually, he probably keeps it in a number of countries, like Switzerland, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands, just in case some of it gets siezed. But the point still stands.)