US, Swiss reach deal on secret bank accounts

MIAMI – The U.S. government and Swiss banking giant UBS AG have reached a long-awaited agreement in a case about secret Swiss bank accounts for alleged American tax evaders, lawyers for both sides told a federal judge Wednesday.

The deal was announced during a telephone conference with the judge that lasted only long enough for lawyers to say an agreement had been reached. No details were announced.

The Internal Revenue Service earlier this year asked U.S. District Judge Alan S. Gold to force Zurich-based UBS to turn over names of some 52,000 American clients believed to be hiding about $15 billion in assets in secret accounts. UBS and the Swiss government had resisted, arguing that to do so would violate Swiss banking confidentiality laws that date back centuries.

The Swiss and U.S. governments announced at the end of July they had agreed in principle on major issues but released no details. They had hoped to present a final deal at a hearing Aug. 7, but resolving their differences has taken longer.

At the latest hearing Wednesday, the judge asked Stuart Gibson, the lead Justice Department lawyer in the case, whether an agreement had been reached.

“The answer is ‘yes,’ your honor,” Gibson answered. “The parties have initialed agreements. It will take a little time for the agreements to be signed in final form.”

An attorney for UBS, Eugene Stearns, thanked the judge for allowing the case to be brought to what he called a “successful conclusion.”

The phone conference lasted less than three minutes. Phone calls afterward to Stearns and Gibson were not immediately returned.

UBS paid a $780 million penalty earlier this year and turned over names of about 250 to 300 American clients in a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department. In that case, UBS admitted helping U.S. citizens evade taxes, which experts say is not a violation of Swiss bank secrecy laws.

So far, three UBS customers whose names were divulged under the prior agreement have pleaded guilty to tax charges in federal court. Hundreds of others holders of secret accounts at UBS and other Swiss banks have voluntarily come forward to the IRS under an amnesty program that requires payment of taxes and penalties but generally does not include the threat of prison.

That amnesty program ends Sept. 23.