Comments for Last Group of 108 Palestinian Refugees Is Received in Brazil at http://www.brazzilmag.com , comment 0 to 4 out of 4 comments http://www.brazzilmag.com Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:56:58 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8837/54/#pc_11947 How can Brazil possibly take in refugees when the country can not even feed all of its own people? Shouldn't Brazil first try to fix their own problems, maybe try and get their poor out of the slums into govenment housing, before they go out and try and save the world? I just don't understand how such an undeveloped nation can go about thinking it can take in an influx of refugees. It doen not make sence - Paul Oliphant Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:51:22 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8837/54/#pc_11933 Like I said before Swiss are all liars and criminals by nature. Close the embassy and kick them all out of the country!!!!!! Invade that shitty country and make a big parking lot out of it! - swissoutofbrazil Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:10:43 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8837/54/#pc_11932 Brazil investigates UBS, Credit Suisse, AIG in money laundering probe ·Buy This Report ·Print This Page ·E-Mail 11/06/2007 04:03:08 PM EST AP WorldStream English (all) SAO PAULO, Brazil_Police detained 19 people Tuesday for allegedly taking part in a scheme to help large Brazilian companies evade taxes by laundering money through two major Swiss banks and U.S.-based American International Group Inc., the world's largest insurer. The raids at 44 sites in four states were part of a clampdown by Brazilian authorities on tax evasion that last month led to raids on the local offices of U.S. network-equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc. Two Swiss nationals were taken into custody Tuesday _ one of them a Swiss-based employee of UBS AG, Switzerland's largest bank, the company said. Authorities were seeking the arrest of another foreigner currently outside of Brazil, but did not disclose that person's nationality. Detectives also seized over US$4 million (€2.75 million) in Brazilian and U.S. currency, said Ricardo Saadi, the federal police detective in charge of the investigation. He declined to name the banks under investigation, but federal judge Fausto Martin de Sanctis in a statement identified the financial institutions under investigation as UBS, Credit Suisse Group, AIG and Clariden, a unit of Credit Suisse. "We're still gathering the facts, but we're not aware of any wrongdoing by any AIG private bank employee," said Chris Winans, spokesman for New York-based AIG. Messages left seeking comment with UBS and Credit Suisse, both based in Zurich, were not immediately returned, though a UBS spokeswoman acknowledged before the judge identified the banks that the employee had been detained. Saadi said the alleged scheme the involved the movement of as much as 7 million reals (US$4.1 million; €2.8 million) a month out of Brazil for big companies seeking to avoid taxes. The Brazilian companies, which Saadi declined to name because of secrecy laws, deposited the funds into overseas accounts via black-market money changers with accounts in Brazil and abroad. The companies used the money hidden abroad to buy merchandise in the United States and China that was then shipped to Brazil, he said. Saadi estimated that the companies may have avoided as much as 1 billion reals (US$588 million; €404 million) in taxes over the last 18 months. UBS spokeswoman Rebeca Garcia declined to identify the detained employee, but said he works for the company's wealth management and business banking division. UBS is trying to find out why he was detained in Sao Paulo during a business trip to Brazil, said Garcia, who declined further comment. Saadi said those arrested Tuesday have not been charged but can be detained for at least five days while authorities continue investigating and prosecutors evaluate the case. The 19 arrested Tuesday included the two Swiss nationals and 17 Brazilians ranging from company owners and executives to money changers, he said. Tax evasion in Brazil has enormous economic impact that is now becoming a government priority. "There's been capital flight out of Brazil for a long time, but the Brazilians are absolutely starting to pay attention to this," said Keith Prager, who specializes in investigations in the Latin American financial services sector for the U.S.-based Corporate Resolutions Inc. Saadi said the investigation into the banks began after seven Credit Suisse executives were detained last year in Brazil in a money laundering probe. The earlier investigation, known as "Operation Switzerland," focused on whether the executives illegally transferred large sums of money overseas for Brazilian clients. Saadi did not provide an update on the probe involving Credit Suisse Group. Tuesday's detentions came three weeks after federal agents and tax authorities raided the Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro offices of Cisco, alleging the U.S. company benefited from a scheme to avoid duties on products shipped from tax havens to Brazil. Four Cisco employees were detained, then released. Cisco denied it acted inappropriately, saying it does not import products directly into Brazil. - SOMETHING STINKS IN HERE!!!!! Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:53:10 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8837/54/#pc_11931 Brazil targets Swiss banks in money laundering probe Two Swiss nationals were taken into custody Tuesday _ one of them a Swiss-based employee of UBS AG, Switzerland's largest bank, the company said. Authorities were seeking the arrest of another foreigner currently outside of Brazil, but did not disclose that person's nationality. Detectives also seized over US$4 million (€2.75 million) in Brazilian and U.S. currency, said Ricardo Saadi, the federal police detective in charge of the investigation He declined to name the banks under investigation or the home country of the third bank, but said they helped move as much as 7 million reals (US$4.1 million; €2.8 million) a month out of Brazil for companies seeking to avoid taxes. - SOMETHING STINKS IN HERE!!!!! Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:50:24 +0100