Chamber of Advocates Hosts Seminar on Whistleblowing

Event to host book launch by US financial whistle-blower Bradley Birkenfeld

The Chamber of Advocates will be hosting a seminar on whistleblowing on the 24th of March at the Casino Maltese, in Valletta.

The Chamber has invited Bradley C. Birkenfeld the American banker considered possibly the most significant financial whistle-blower in recent history whose disclosures to the US government in 2007 led to a massive fraud investigation against the Swiss bank UBS and other banks that had enabled tax evasion by US taxpayers.

“Bradley Birkenfeld’s bombshell revelations cracked the impenetrable fortress of Swiss banks, proving that offshore financial institutions systematically aided clients’ tax evasion, corruption and terrorist activities. His case triggered monumental changes in banking laws, the federal tax code and international tax treaties. This is the context which we shall be discussing during this much anticipated event,” states Dr George Hyzler, President of the Cham- ber of Advocates.

Mr Birkenfeld will recall his experience on how despite a thriving banking career, he could no longer keep silent about bankenabled tax fraud, how when UBS rejected his concerns, he turned to the U.S. authorities, was jailed for 30 months but soon vindicated with a recordbreaking IRS $104 million reward.

His work had enabled the U.S. Treasury to recover $15 billion in back taxes, fines and penalties. The case set off a domino effect of international investigations into offshore banking’s secret crimes, including the Panama Papers and much more. Now retired, Birkenfeld is a philanthropist and supports whistleblowing efforts worldwide.

Mr Birkenfeld will also launch his recently published book Lucifer’s Banker: The Untold Story of How I Destroyed Swiss Bank Secrecy followed by book-signing and a reception.

The seminar will be introduced by Dr George Hyzler, President of the Chamber of Advocates, followed by a presentation by Dr David Fabri, Head of the Department of Commercial Law at the University of Malta who has regularly lectured and written on whistleblowing. The event is open to the public but spaces are limited. Send an email to events@avukati.org