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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy Is Credit Suisse Still Allowed to Do Business in the United States?
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/05/why-is-credit-suisse-still-allowed-to-do-business-in-the-united-states/371238/?n5w0as
Credit Suisse, the gigantic Swiss bank, is clearly a criminal organization. In its guilty plea yesterday, Credit Suisse admitted that it has been actively helping Americans (and no doubt people from all around the world) evade taxes for years:
For decades prior to and through in or about 2009, . . . Credit Suisse did unlawfully, voluntary, intentionally, and knowingly conspire, combine, confederate, and agree together with others . . . to willfully aid, assist in, procure, counsel, and advise the preparation and presentation of false income tax returns and other documents to the Internal Revenue Service.
The Justice Department is crowing about its newfound willingness to convict major financial institutions, with Eric Holder claiming, This case shows that no financial institution, no matter its size or global reach, is above the law. The guilty plea certainly seems like a step forward from the neither-admit-nor-deny settlements that banks have counted on for the past decade. But there is a risk that the Credit Suisse dealthe guilty plea coupled with ample assurances that the admitted criminal will be allowed to remain in businesscould become the new version of the deferred prosecution agreement: an outcome that makes everyone happy, yet punishes no one, and ultimately becomes just another cost of doing business.
There are two main ways to really punish criminals and deter wrongdoing in the future. One is criminal prosecutions of the individuals involved, ideally getting lower-level employees to cooperate and gathering evidence as far up the management hierarchy as possible. (There are ongoing prosecutions against several Credit Suisse employees.) The other is putting a bank out of business by revoking its license. Even if he escapes jail, no CEO wants that on his résumé. And it seems entirely appropriate for a bank that engages in a decades-long criminal conspiracy that costs U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars.
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)That simple.
SamKnause
(13,656 posts)and criminal banking cartels.
They have made this abundantly clear.
The banking cartels were bailed out using the tax payers dollars.
It reflects in the legislation they pass.
It reflects in the number of CEO's who have been imprisoned.
It reflects in the number of banks that have been closed down.
It reflects in the action of bypassing the justice system and using moderators for passing down "fines".
The banks own the U.S. government.
Our politicians are selling this country to the highest bidders piece by piece.
OLDMDDEM
(1,906 posts)Our politicians are selling our government to those who are abusing government. Credit Suisse should lose its US charter and be forced out of the country. I cannot see how we can say the Justice Department is going its job if criminals like this are allowed to run free. If they are allowed to do business, they should be forced to have signs in their branches displayed for all to see that say something like "Credit Suisse is a criminal organization. We have taken millions from you and the US government and have pled guilty to those charges. We would understand if you do not wish to work with our professionals in the future."
closeupready
(29,503 posts)they are VERY powerful. Many people wouldn't necessarily be aware of it, but they have involvement in many different sectors of the economy, and revoking their license to do business would harm the 1% to a painful degree.
GeorgeGist
(25,392 posts)is epidemic in USA.