Hervé Falciani, accused of stealing client documents from his former employer HSBC, didn't turn up to face the music at the highest criminal court in Switzerland yesterday. He prefers the star appearance at an event just across the border from Geneva, accompanied by a prominent politician – from Switzerland.
It had to be expected: Hervé Falciani (pictured) skipped the opening day of the trial, in which he stands accused of industrial espionage and violation of bank secrecy. The trial has been rescheduled to November 2, in the hope that the presumed thief appears in Switzerland. The Swiss judiciary has issued an international arrest warrant for Falciani.
French-Italian Falciani for sure will put in an appearance on October 28, at an entirely different venue, a place so close to the border of Switzerland that the police might be tempted to pick him up nonetheless.
Star Act at Media Bash
In the casino theatre of Divonne, France, Falciani is the star act at a media bash, «Investigative Journalism in Times of Wikileaks».
The organisers are Swiss: The «club suisse de la presse», based in Geneva and the Swiss journalist association Impressum. Their guests will be bussed to France, where Falciani is safe. A journalist of Italian newspaper «Il Sole - 24 Ore» will interview him.
The conference comes with a formal sign of approval: The guests will be welcomed by Esther Alder, who is no less than the mayor of Geneva.
Sour Taste
The Geneva region faces a day of unusual upset: Falciani in 2008 fled the city of Calvin after the local authorities questioned him regarding the theft of information belonging to HSBC. An attorney from Geneva investigated HSBC at the beginning of 2015 after the publication of «Swiss Leaks» and closed the file after the payment of a fine of 40 million francs.
The participation of a high-ranking politician from Geneva at an event that will celebrate Falciani as an altruistic whistle-blower will leave a sour taste for a lot of Swiss bankers.
«Swiss Leaks»
The reputation of the financial industry was tarnished badly by «Swiss Leaks», prompting the Swiss Bankers Association to do some urgent damage-limitation.
Meanwhile, Falciani is allowed to continue with his game of double cross: Celebrated whistle-blower who has an international arrest warrant from Switzerland dangling above his head. Authorities in Spain, Belgium, the UK, India, U.S., Canada, Australia, Ireland and Greece used his «list», stolen from HSBC, to investigate tax dodgers. Argentina even wanted him as lecturer.
It won't keep the criminal court in Bellinzona from taking action soon: If Falciani fails to show up in November, they will likely try him in absentia.
