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Kim Dotcom 400 Million Dollar Plan for NZ Free Internet!

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wraith808:
It would be pretty easy to seize it under a variety of pretenses if it were banked in any of the usual "legit" places.
-40hz (November 07, 2012, 02:49 PM)
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Wouldn't a Swiss bank account be an option?  Or is that haven less of a haven these days? (Well, other than the fact that they used the organized crime card against him already?)

40hz:
Or is that haven less of a haven these days?
-wraith808 (November 07, 2012, 02:59 PM)
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Last I heard it was much less a haven than it used to be.

From what I've seen, the fabled Swiss neutrality only applies insofar as the Swiss can stay out of something. When their own national interests become involved, they are anything but neutral. There are also some treaties that have recently gone into effect which impact Swiss banking operations and policies.

Switzerland may be an independent nation politically. But it does a great deal of business with the US and EU. And much like the US with China, Switzerland is learning to bow to necessity and seek compromise whether it wants to or not.

About the only major financial institution that still is able to maintain virtual absolute secrecy while retaining an aura of legitimacy is the Istituto per le Opere di Religione or " Vatican Bank." And even they are having their share of scandals and problems lately.

wraith808:
I know about the 2009 renegotiations, but I thought those were only exceptions for things that basically affect large money transactions, i.e. the combining of Tax Evasion and Tax Fraud (where one of them was previously not covered- I forget which), Organized Crime, and one other exception.  Other than that, everything is covered by the 1934 accords and has mandatory prosecution if the information is revealed.  Not to say that enough pressure couldn't be placed on the Swiss, but this doesn't seem to be covered (or not covered better) by current exclusions.

40hz:
^Yup. But under the so-called "names deal" as relates to tax evasion, it doesn't take anywhere near as much as it used to.

Don't forget the neat little trick under federal law and the IRS code that makes all income derived from illegal activities taxable. And since crime related proceeds and transfers are seldom reported, almost any criminal act also entails some form of tax violation if money or property was involved.

And with some of the new homeland security legislation, who even knows what's illegal or not any more?

Lest we forget, they only nailed Al Capone on tax evasion. They were never able to get him on anything else. But it was still enough to effectively put him away for life when they were finished with him.

"The Dark Force is strong in the US Tax Code," says Yoda. "Fear it"  ;D

wraith808:
"The Dark Force is strong in the US Tax Code," says Yoda. "Fear it"  ;D
-40hz (November 07, 2012, 03:32 PM)
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That's one thing that I've learned that I don't think that some others realize.  NSA, CIA, FBI, DHS, etc. ... none of the alphabet soup agencies are as scary as the IRS.  They might not actively go looking in most cases... but when they get roused, there's few that can stand in their way.

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