During "The Great Liechtenstein Witch Hunt" which is going on currently (not to mention the entire UBS Birkenfield affair), I find it utterly amazing that there have been NO politicians caught in this mess.

It just seems fishy as places like Vaduz and Zug are famous hang outs for Bush Sr., John Kerry (who went to highschool in Zug), Bill Frist and Bill Clinton.

Is there any information on any politicians who were caught? You figure they would be the first to get called out on this? It all seems fishy.

Araound 2000/2001 we had a whole series of scandals in Germany: Politicians had "black accounts" for their parties in Liechtenstein and Switzerland. They "transferred" Millions in cash over the border and did pretty much everything that can be considered illegal when it comes to the laws of funding political parties in Germany. Even the former chancellor (Helmut Kohl) had to admit that he knew about illegal donations. He refused to name the stakeholders as he "gave his promise" not to do so- even in front of a court... others are still heading provinces and the like.
If this would have been in the private sector, the guys would by now be locked up or hiding in South America...

It just bothers me that this sham of an investigation is being spear-headed by politicos who probably have the most to lose. It just makes me feel like they are trying to start "investigations" to protect their own people.

Why else would this major user of offshore systems (politicians) create such a movement against them all of a sudden. They are just con men.

Well I do not know American politics too well, but the first investigations that started the whole game were the German tax authorities who bought through the German secret service a CD with the data of all the "customers" worth to check out. One of the first they presented was the former Deutsche Post CEO. (later the UK bought their own data and the game went off internationally)
I honestly do not believe that this was controlled by politicians. Some German "James Bond" went rogue (happened before in other cases as Plutonium smuggel...) and with all the publicity it was too late to save their buddy at the post. Germany is frankly not ruled by politicians competent enough to have "an evil strategic masterplan" who to investigate and who not...

I understand the time line and order of events. But since the the IRS clearly has this data I find it hard to imagine that no politicians were caught. Normally if they find a list of "criminals" they would simply put their name on a list and publish it. The IRS is keeping this list very secret. They wont discuss who is on it.

In Europe the local equivalents of the IRS would never dare to publish a list of "accused criminals" without having investigated the cases individually and have watertight proof. If the suspect is as influential as a high level politician you are better sure about what you are saying or your career at the service is very fast over.
I am not saying that there might not be politicians who get protected here... I would not be surprised at all. On the other hand the Bush administration never seemed to care so much about their wrongs that they would go all the way to Lichtenstein to cover something.
I believe that the low level people involved are more likely to protect their own ass. Accuse somebody important with some half legal information and no proof in an election year does not sound like a smart plan...

LOL I was talking to my wife just the other day. I think LGT's (the bank in Liechtenstein) hard stance is probably motivated by the fact that they know that one or more US "personalities" had their stash parked somewhere.

Affaire à suivre

Paul

Haha! The Europeans take such a nice friendly stance, and allow the people to pay back taxs. In the US they raid your house with federal agents and arrest everyone on the premise. Once you evade taxs you basically lose your rights to property.
Bush Sr. is very good at offshore stuff and has been milking his Sante Fe International deal since he sold out to the Kuwaitis in 1981 (benefits of being in the UN and making buddys with all the Middle Eastern countrys in the 1970's), but the younger bushs have no offshore income if my treuhand down the street is to be believed. The local community here keeps track of politicians here in Zug. Most of the politicos here now stem from the Bush Sr. and Clinton Administration. But Jr. has no offshore money to actually hide. Its all in the US and impossible to evade taxs on.

I think its funny though that this black senater from the South gets his house raided, destroyed, and taken apart, and all the find is a crappy $100,000 that he hid. Compared to what these guys have over seas, it seems like a waste of tax payers money (they spent +$300,000 to catch a guy hiding $100,000).

They are raiding the wrong politicians homes.