UBS Wealth Mgt Executive On The Lam; U.S. Promises To Find Tax Cheats—And The Advisors Who Assist Them

Feb 19, 2009 11:36 AM, By John Churchill

Allen Stanford isn’t the only high profile financial executive currently on the run from authorities. Buried in the Department of Justice press release yesterday regarding its deferred prosecution settlement agreement with UBS was the fact that one of its top executives was still a fugitive from justice.

Raoul Weill, chairman and CEO of UBS Global Wealth Management International from 2002 to 2007, never turned up to face the music after he was indicted by a federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale in November 2008. But Justice did state unequivocally in its press release yesterday (February 18) that Weill was “recently declared” to be a fugitive.

Weil faced as much as 5-years in prison and $250,000 in fines. He was indicted as part of the larger UBS tax probe and charged with conspiring to defraud the United States for his role in overseeing UBS’ cross-border business. (Click here to read more on Weil’s indictment.)

Weil’s attorney has said in published reports that his client has engaged in no misconduct and was disappointed his client’s indictment had not been dismissed as yet.

But tax dodgers take note: “Today’s [settlement with UBS on the illegal tax dodge] is but one milestone in an ongoing law enforcement effort to reassure hard-working and law-abiding taxpayers who pay their fair share of taxes that those who don’t will pay a heavy price,” said John A. DiCiocco, acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Deparment’s Tax Division. “The veil of secrecy has been pulled aside and we will continue to aggressively pursue those who shirk their federal tax obligations or assist other in doing so.”

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