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Hey I'm no expert, and have absolutely no evidence, but do know that there was an issue some years ago where the Swiss were allegedly strong-armed by the IRS in
by Spearchucker 13y ago
Hey I'm no expert, and have absolutely no evidence, but do know that there was an issue some years ago where the Swiss were allegedly strong-armed by the IRS into lifting their privacy restrictions [1] and [2]. The story, as I remember it, was that Swiss banks had to share information about US depositors with the IRS if the Swiss wanted to continue operating offices is the US.
While I trust the Swiss a lot more than I do anything in or from the US, I certainly wouldn't bet my life on it.
The links below are what a quick search yielded. Not much time to dig deeper at the moment.
[1] http://web.archive.org/web/20080611115027/http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/kd3795.htm http://web.archive.org/web/20080611115027/http://www.treas.g...
[2] http://web.archive.org/web/20060717203642/http://useu.usmission.gov/Article.asp?ID=3E4C7E04-37D9-4BA3-8668-D7B30918B2AB http://web.archive.org/web/20060717203642/http://useu.usmiss...
- cpursley 13y agoYou're correct - but only with the big international banks. The tax issue is a different can of worms. At least there's a pretty good chance that NSA doesn't have a back door to wuala.
- anateus 13y agoI don't know if they have a similar system for wired traffic, but the Swiss have one of the most extensive COMINT systems called Onyx http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onyx_(interception_system) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onyx_(interception_system) that primarily focuses on satellite. Regardless of US gov't pressure, I think it's a reasonable assumption the Swiss gov't has access.
- NittLion78 13y agoRight. That mostly has to do with FATCA, the legislation Congress passed to try to get US persons/entities to stop hiding money overseas in tax shelters: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FATCA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FATCA