This operated a large-scale cocaine trade and was involved in money laundering.
In addition to the big bank and one of its investment advisors, two Bulgarians and a former employee of Bank Julius Baer have been charged. Credit Suisse formally rejects the allegations made against it, as it explained to the Keystone-SDA news agency. She was also convinced of the innocence of her former employee.
The parties accused by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (BA) are said to have cooperated with Evelin Banev in different ways. Banev is the head of a criminal network that imported dozens of tons of cocaine from Latin America to Europe.
With the help of the accused, Banev’s organization is said to have laundered part of the business proceeds. Between 2004 and 2007 it is said to have been over 70 million Swiss francs. The BA assumes that the profit per ton of cocaine was 30 million euros.
Banev’s shop stewards
Credit Suisse must answer within the framework of corporate criminal liability for qualified money laundering. The BA is of the opinion that the bank did not take all necessary organizational measures to prevent funds of criminal origin from being deposited into its accounts.
The two accused Bulgarians are Banev’s financial adviser and a former wrestler based in Valais. The two men are charged with qualified money laundering and involvement in a criminal organization.
The former Credit Suisse employee, who was also accused of qualified money laundering, managed the accounts opened for the Banev clan. The last defendant was a friend of Banev’s financial adviser. As an employee at Bank Julius Baer, he had opened two accounts for Banev’s shell companies and one for his friend. When the Zürcher Bank refused to continue these relationships, the man resigned and put himself at the service of the Bulgarian network.
The Swiss procedure was initiated by the BA in 2008 after Bulgaria had submitted a request for legal assistance the year before. Banev was sentenced to long prison terms in Bulgaria, Italy and Romania. (Cases SK.2020.62 and SK.2020.10)>
CS shares gained 0.50 percent to CHF 8.84 in early Swiss trading.
Bellinzona (awp/sda)