United States Taxpayers with undisclosed offshore bank accounts in the Cayman Islands are the latest targets of the ongoing investigations of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The covert operation this past week in the Cayman Islands should be a warning to any U.S. Taxpayer with an undisclosed offshore bank account.

U.S. taxpayers with undisclosed Swiss accounts are being disclosed by Swiss banks. In addition, U.S. Taxpayers with recently closed Swiss accounts that were undisclosed will be reported to the IRS too. American Taxpayer account information is being disclosed because some Swiss Banks are participating in the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program for banks. The Swiss banks that are entering the Voluntary Disclosure Program are trying to avoid severe penalties, criminal prosecution and/or criminal investigation. 

Swiss banks have been sending letters to United States Taxpayers with undisclosed Swiss bank accounts to inform them that they should come forward and reveal their undisclosed overseas Swiss bank accounts to the IRS. In addition, U.S. Taxpayers with recently closed Swiss accounts that were undisclosed will be reported to the IRS. American Taxpayer account information is being revealed because some Swiss Banks are participating in the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program for banks. The Swiss banks that are entering the Voluntary Disclosure Program are trying to avoid severe penalties, criminal prosecution and/or criminal investigation.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) continues to accept 2012 Voluntary Disclosure applicants as U.S. taxpayers seek protection from severe civil penalties and the possibility of criminal prosecution, which has stemmed from the risk of maintaining an undisclosed offshore account.

Liechtenstein’s second largest bank, Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG (LLB), is beginning the process of turning over U.S. account holder data to U.S. authorities. Any U.S. client who maintains an undisclosed offshore bank account through LLB will have their information turned over to U.S. authorities. LLB is currently notifying its U.S. clients that the bank intends to comply with the IRS information request.