(article mis à jour le 9 octobre 2015).
Nous avons publié en début de mois cet article sur Rietumu.
Comme l’a fait remarqué l’un de nos lecteurs (ci-dessous) la banque à démenti ces informations sur son site.
A regarder de plus près, ce communiqué était listé uniquement sur certains blog à faible audience, basés en Europe de l’Est.
Rietumu a donc été victime d’une campagne d’intox. Cette information était erronée et RIEN ne confirme – à ce jour – leur coopération avec le gouvernement Français.
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La Banque Rietumu vient de faire un communiqué dans lequel elle précise avoir transmis au Fisc Français plus de 2000 noms de Français ayant des comptes chez Rietumu.
Cela fait suite à l’affaire France Offshore qui avait révélé des montages fiscaux très légers, et l’implication de la banque Rietumu.
La banque précise que tous les documents permettant d’identifier les bénéficiaires finaux ont été transmis au Fisc Français.
Il est clair que cela n’est pas une bonne publicité pour la banque Rietumu. Il est clair aussi que l’ouverture récente d’un bureau de représentation à Paris n’a pas joué en leur faveur.
On imagine que les résidents français ayant un compte bancaire offshore auprès de Rietumu ne doivent pas bien dormir en ce moment. Cela montre encore une fois à quelle point il est risqué d’avoir un compte offshore en Europe, quand on est résident Européen, ou quand la banque en question possède des représentations locales.
Voici le communiqué original :
Rietumu Bank Discloses 2000+ Offshore Banking Clients Accounts Including Confidential And Privileged Information
Posted: Jul 24, 2014 3:57 PM BSTUpdated: Jul 24, 2014 6:59 PM BST
Rietumu Bank, which is the first and now the leading Latvian Bank, has acquiesced to the French Government’s request to turn over documents of not only Offshore Account holders, but also those clients who are the ultimate beneficial owners of Offshore companies.RIGA, LATVIA, July 24, 2014. Offshore Banking, by its very nature, is meant to be a confidential and privileged relationship between the client and the bank. At times, foreign governments may request to see account holders documents, but most Offshore Banks will not make such disclosures, as it undermines the very nature of their business. This was not the case with Rietumu Bank as they succumbed to requests by the French Government to divulge confidential records. They chose to comply, and put over 2,000 of their clients at risk. This was not just a list of account holders that was requested, but all bank statements, legal documentation, invoices and agreements contained in the files.
Entire boxes have been shipped and delivered to the investigating Judge, including Corporate Documentation, full bank statements, Power of Attorney, Nominee directorships agreements, Deed of Trusts, everything is there to identify the Ultimate Beneficial Owner and make them pay high penalties for tax avoidance of French citizens who had a bank account with Rietumu Bank. This is one of the most flagrant violations of Secrecy Banking Protocol that been seen in a long time. The bottom line is to know the history of the firm who is handling one’s offshore banking needs.
The bank still continues to have an active presence in France with a newly inaugurated office on one of the most exclusive streets, the bank seems to be ready to not discontinue seeking to help French clients to hide their money from the ever aggressive French tax services. Rietumu Bank has even launched an online French version of it’s elegant website which seems to confirm the will of the bank to target French clients who are most probably running away from the high tax rates.
In fact, the French Government has adopted an impressive and dynamic fight against taxpayers willing to avoid paying up to 75% tax in the country. It’s understandable that with such a high tax rate, the Tax-Cops are chasing whatever can allow them to add earnings into the drowning French economy. It is not a surprise that financial institutions such as Rietumu Bank are willing to benefit from this tax exile happening in France. Latvian banks, however, seems to have been an ideal place for Russian money laundering schemes being an isolated and discrete republic within Europe, under no pressure and thanks to their soviet past and entrance into EU can afford teasing other governments attracting tax avatars to open Offshore accounts and bank remotely.
For complete information, please visit: Rietumu Bank
Distributed by Press Release Distributors
Media Contact
Company Name: Rietumu Bank
Contact Person: Eleonora Gailisha
Email: egailisha@rietumu.lv
Phone: +371-67020506
City: Riga
Country: Latvia
Website: www.rietumu.com/
Comme l’indique un commentaire ci-dessous, la banque a ensuite démentie cette information sur son site. Mais avec le temps, plusieurs sources – dont plusieurs experts offshore – ont confirmé cette information.
Nous avons aussi constaté que les banques en Lettonie font rendent maintenant très difficile l’ouverture de comptes en banque offshore pour les résidents Français, sans doute par crainte de nouvelle pressions de la part de la France.