Surviving Capitalism (Not) : 'Ed Snowden of Banking' Refuses to Appear in Swiss Trial

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

'Ed Snowden of Banking' Refuses to Appear in Swiss Trial

Click here if you wish to directly access this 4:51m interview and transcript with an independent investigative journalist about a banking whistleblower posted on Real News Network.

He's a name you might not have heard of, but you should know: Herve Falciani. He is sometimes called the Ed Snowden of banking. Back in 2008 he committed the most significant theft of data in banking history. The former systems engineer at the Swiss subsidiary of HSBC downloaded details of more than 100,000 potential tax evaders and made the information available to the account holders' national tax agencies. He's been wanted by the Swiss government for seven years and counting.

Here to discuss his case is James Henry. James is a leading economist, attorney, and investigative journalist who has written extensively about global issues.