ZURICH – A Swiss court has allowed the extradition to Germany of Hanno Berger, a German banker accused of playing a key role in a years-long tax fraud.
The scandal, known as “cum-ex,” is Germany’s biggest post-war fraud involving a share-trading scheme that the authorities say cost taxpayers billions of euros.
According to prosecutors, the scheme was promoted by Berger, a German tax inspector-turned-tax adviser, and others.
Berger, who is a lawyer and helped represent himself, has always denied any wrongdoing in conversations with Reuters and said what he did was within the law.
His Swiss attorney was not immediately available for comment on the ruling by the Federal Criminal Court, which can be appealed to Switzerland’s supreme court.
Berger was arrested in the Swiss canton of Grisons on July 7 based on an extradition request from Germany.
(This story corrects to read Federal Criminal Court (not Administrative Court), paragraph 5)
(Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Mark Potter)
