14 DAY TRIAL // After being fined yesterday for violating Swiss bank secrecy laws, ex-banker Rudolf Elmer was arrested for recently handing over bank records to WikiLeaks.
Elmer, 55, was received a fine of 7,200 Swiss francs (around $7,500), suspended for two years, for leaking information about the bank accounts of tax evading Julius Baer customers, which he obtained illegaly.
The former banker ran the Cayman Islands branch of Julius Baer until 2002 when he was fired and claimed that the records were not covered by Swiss laws because they were not on Swiss territory.
Julius Baer also accused him of threatening its employees, which he denied. At the hearing on Wednesday he said that he did it for society, but the judge didn't believe him pointing out that he was fine with the tax evasion situation until being fired.
The prosecution argued that he was driven by revenge against his former employer and pushed for eight months of jail time and a fine of 2,000 Swiss francs. Even if they didn't get it, Julius Baer's lawyers declared themselves satisfied.
A few hours later, at 6.30 pm in the evening, police showed up with an arrest warrant in Elmer's name at his residence in a village near Zurich.
Reuters reports that state prosecutor Peter Pellegrini will question Elmer today in connection to him handing over two CD with banking records to WikiLeaks earlier this week.
On Monday, the ex-banker personally handed over the data, said to include account details of 2,000 tax evaders from US, UK, Germany, Austria and Asia, to Julian Assange at an event in London.
The prosecutor has 48 hours to decide if he wants to pursue a case and ask for an arrest extension or let him go.
"I am against the system. I know how the system works and I know the day-to-day business. From that point of view, I wanted to let society know what I know. It is damaging our society," Elmer said at the Frontline Club after giving the CDs to Assange.