Testimony Urged U.S. Department of Labor to Reject Proposed QPAM Waiver by Credit Suisse
Heather Lowe, GFI’s legal counsel and director of government affairs, testified at a U.S. Department of Labor hearing in Washington on January 15, 2015, urging the department to maintain a ban on Credit Suisse’s ability to engage in high-risk transactions with the pension fund money that they manage following their November 2014 criminal conviction for aiding in tax evasion and the Swiss bank’s long history of systemic compliance failures at the institution and its affiliates.
Public Hearing to Consider Proposed Credit Suisse Exemption from U.S. Regulation Barring It from Claiming Preferential Asset Manager Status in Wake of Criminal Conviction
GFI Expert to Testify in Favor of Financial Integrity, Rule of Law, and Protection of Retirement Funds; Will Recommend Rejection of Proposed Waiver
WASHINGTON, DC – Global Financial Integrity (GFI) Legal Counsel and Director of Government Affairs Heather Lowe will testify at the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday during a public hearing considering whether Credit Suisse AG (Credit Suisse) should be granted an exemption from U.S. regulations barring it and its affiliates from receiving preferential asset manager treatment after the bank was criminally convicted of willfully aiding in U.S. tax evasion on an industrial scale over many years.
This letter constitutes a formal request by Heather Lowe, Legal Counsel and Director of Government Affairs at Global Financial Integrity, to testify at the U.S. Department of Labor public hearing on January 15, 2015, discussing the proposed individual exemption involving Credit Suisse AG’s ability to continue enjoying the privileges of “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (QPAM) status.
Negotiators Finalize Revisions to EU Anti-Money-Laundering Directive, Including Crucial Measures on Beneficial Ownership Transparency
United States Continues to Lag Behind International Progress on Key Element of Curtailing Illicit Financial Flows
WASHINGTON, DC – Global Financial Integrity (GFI) applauded the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union for agreeing yesterday to crack down on anonymous companies, a major conduit for laundering the proceeds of crime, corruption, and tax evasion. Just Tuesday, GFI released its annual flagship analysis of illicit financial flows from developing countries, which found that such flows—growing at nearly twice the rate of global GDP—reached a historic high of US$991.2 billion in 2012, the most recent year for which data is available.
Illicit Flows from Developing & Emerging Countries Growing at 9.4% per Year
US$6.6 Trillion Stolen from Developing World from 2003-2012; Trade Misinvoicing Responsible for 77.8% of Illicit Outflows
China, Russia, Mexico, India, Malaysia—in Declining Order—Are Biggest Exporters of Illicit Capital over Decade; Sub-Saharan Africa Still Suffers Biggest Illicit Outflows as % of GDP
Study Calls for UN Sustainable Development Goals to Halve Annual Trade-Related Illicit Flows by 2030; Recommends Public Registries of Beneficial Ownership; Urges Public Country-by-Country Reporting for Multinationals
WASHINGTON, DC – A record US$991.2 billion in illicit capital flowed out of developing and emerging economies in 2012—facilitating crime, corruption, and tax evasion—according to the latest study released Tuesday by Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a Washington, DC-based research and advisory organization. The study is the first GFI analysis to include estimates of illicit financial flows for 2012.
Former Deputy Finance Minister Brings Wealth of Experience
WASHINGTON, DC – Global Financial Integrity (GFI) announced today that Nelson Barbosa, the former deputy finance minister of Brazil, has joined the organization’s Advisory Board. GFI, a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, DC, will benefit from Dr. Barbosa’s many years of experience working to curb tax haven secrecy and curtail illicit financial flows from the highest levels of government.
World Leaders’ Weekend Summit Misses Opportunity to Act on Beneficial Ownership or Country-by-Country Reporting
Work Remains to Ensure Developing Countries Benefit Fully From Global Automatic Exchange of Financial Information, but Agreement to Include Developing Countries in OECD BEPS Project an Encouraging Move
WASHINGTON, DC – G20 leaders met this past weekend in Brisbane, Australia for their annual summit, issuing a communiqué full of ambitious proposals for growing the global economy, but noticeably lacking in responses to illicit financial flows, one of the largest drags on development worldwide. Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a Washington, DC-based research and advocacy organization, expressed its disappointment at the underwhelming result.
Rachel Payne
Global Financial Integrity
ASAP, GFI, and Yale Inaugurate Prize Honoring Nobel-Winning Economist Amartya Sen
2014 Contest Solicited Essays on Connection between Illicit Flows, Global Poverty, Inequality
WASHINGTON, DC / NEW HAVEN, CT – Academics Stand Against Poverty (ASAP), Global Financial Integrity (GFI), and the Yale Global Justice Program awarded the inaugural Amartya Sen Prize over the weekend to Max Everest-Phillips, Hamish Russell, and Gillian Brock for their essays on illicit financial flows, poverty, and inequality.
