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| HSBC investigating claims of criminal account holders | HSBC investigating claims of criminal account holders |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| HSBC bank says it is looking into allegations that criminals have used offshore accounts at its Jersey operation for money laundering. | HSBC bank says it is looking into allegations that criminals have used offshore accounts at its Jersey operation for money laundering. |
| The bank issued a statement after the Daily Telegraph newspaper said it was at the centre of a major investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). | The bank issued a statement after the Daily Telegraph newspaper said it was at the centre of a major investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). |
| HSBC said it was investigating "an alleged loss of certain client data in Jersey as a matter of urgency". | HSBC said it was investigating "an alleged loss of certain client data in Jersey as a matter of urgency". |
| HMRC said it had "received the data and we are studying it". | HMRC said it had "received the data and we are studying it". |
| "We receive information from a very wide range of sources which we use to ensure the tax rules are being respected," the tax authority said. | "We receive information from a very wide range of sources which we use to ensure the tax rules are being respected," the tax authority said. |
| In a statement, HSBC said: "Clamping down on those who try to cheat the system through evading taxes and over-claiming benefits is a top priority for us, and we value the information we receive from the public and business community." | In a statement, HSBC said: "Clamping down on those who try to cheat the system through evading taxes and over-claiming benefits is a top priority for us, and we value the information we receive from the public and business community." |
| Allegations | Allegations |
| According to the Daily Telegraph, the tax authorities have obtained details of "every British client of HSBC in Jersey" based on information provided by a whistle-blower this week. | According to the Daily Telegraph, the tax authorities have obtained details of "every British client of HSBC in Jersey" based on information provided by a whistle-blower this week. |
| It is reported that the 4,000 offshore account holders include a well-known drug dealer living in Central America, bankers who face allegations of fraud and a man once dubbed London's "number two crook". | It is reported that the 4,000 offshore account holders include a well-known drug dealer living in Central America, bankers who face allegations of fraud and a man once dubbed London's "number two crook". |
| BBC business editor Robert Peston said: "It is really quite difficult to tell from this disclosure whether or not this is an example of HSBC yet again having, shall we say, laxer or weaker controls over who it takes money from. | BBC business editor Robert Peston said: "It is really quite difficult to tell from this disclosure whether or not this is an example of HSBC yet again having, shall we say, laxer or weaker controls over who it takes money from. |
| "The American authorities do think HSBC was, for too many years, too prone, or in a sense, too easily duped by terrorists and criminals who wanted to launder money. We just don't have enough information whether or not this is an another example of those weak controls." | "The American authorities do think HSBC was, for too many years, too prone, or in a sense, too easily duped by terrorists and criminals who wanted to launder money. We just don't have enough information whether or not this is an another example of those weak controls." |
| Our business editor said he had been told by HSBC that this appeared to be a case of "whistle-blowers handing over bunches of bank names for whatever reasons". | Our business editor said he had been told by HSBC that this appeared to be a case of "whistle-blowers handing over bunches of bank names for whatever reasons". |
| He added: "They don't think they will emerge from this investigation to be shown to be particularly lax in their controls." | He added: "They don't think they will emerge from this investigation to be shown to be particularly lax in their controls." |
| Earlier this year, a US Senate report alleged that staff at HSBC's global operations had laundered billions of dollars for drug cartels and terrorists in a "pervasively polluted" culture that persisted for years. | Earlier this year, a US Senate report alleged that staff at HSBC's global operations had laundered billions of dollars for drug cartels and terrorists in a "pervasively polluted" culture that persisted for years. |
| The report detailed how HSBC's subsidiaries cleared suspicious travellers' cheques worth billions, and allowed Mexican drug lords to buy planes with money laundered through Cayman Islands accounts. | The report detailed how HSBC's subsidiaries cleared suspicious travellers' cheques worth billions, and allowed Mexican drug lords to buy planes with money laundered through Cayman Islands accounts. |
| David Bagley, HSBC's head of compliance since 2002, resigned from his post when he appeared before the US Senate committee in July. | David Bagley, HSBC's head of compliance since 2002, resigned from his post when he appeared before the US Senate committee in July. |
| HMRC has received the HSBC data only very recently. But even if it has come with names and addresses attached, it will not necessarily be an easy matter to identity the people who own the accounts. | HMRC has received the HSBC data only very recently. But even if it has come with names and addresses attached, it will not necessarily be an easy matter to identity the people who own the accounts. |
| Complex task | Complex task |
| Ronnie Ludwig, a tax partner at the accountants Saffery Champness, believes the accounts are likely to be in the names of nominee companies and trusts, which hide the identity of the beneficial owner. | Ronnie Ludwig, a tax partner at the accountants Saffery Champness, believes the accounts are likely to be in the names of nominee companies and trusts, which hide the identity of the beneficial owner. |
| He thinks some accounts could have a trigger clause, which means the money is moved swiftly to accounts in other offshore tax havens, such as the British Virgin Islands or the Cayman Island, if HMRC intensifies its scrutiny. | |
| Mr Ludwig told the BBC that HMRC would have quite a task on its hands to sort through each account. | Mr Ludwig told the BBC that HMRC would have quite a task on its hands to sort through each account. |
| "HMRC is facing an uphill struggle in terms of its resources, because these cases will be very complex, difficult and ultimately time-consuming to unravel," he said. | "HMRC is facing an uphill struggle in terms of its resources, because these cases will be very complex, difficult and ultimately time-consuming to unravel," he said. |