Suisse Secrets

Published: February 20, 2022

Banner: James O'Brien/OCCRP

Swiss banks have been synonymous with secrecy for decades, conjuring up visions of vast riches safely held in mountain vaults. It's a strong brand — one Switzerland's government does everything it can to protect.

But what's good for the banks' wealthy clients can be bad for everyone else. When corrupt politicians or organized criminals turn to Switzerland to keep their money safe from prying eyes, the victims of their crimes will likely never see it again. And once dirty money makes it into a Swiss bank account, it's free to go anywhere.

Switzerland's draconian banking secrecy laws have made it nearly impossible for other governments or journalists to hold the industry to account. Until now.

Through our partner, German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, OCCRP obtained leaked records on more than 18,000 Credit Suisse accounts, the largest leak ever from a major Swiss bank. This is just a small subset of the bank's overall holdings, but we still found dozens of dubious characters in the data, including an Algerian general accused of torture, the children of a brutal Azerbaijani strongman, and even a Serbian drug lord known as Misha Banana.

Read on to learn more about what we — and our media partners on five continents — found in the data.

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The Big Picture

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Who's in the Suisse Secrets Leak?

Credit Suisse Interactive Banner

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Stories From The Vaults

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More Key Clients

Eduard Seidel

Bribing Businessman Had Secret Credit Suisse Accounts

The corrupt middleman who ran a decades-long bribery scheme for German engineering giant Siemens had Credit Suisse accounts that were unknown to prosecutors.

Qosim Rohbar

Powerful Regional Head in Tajikistan Held 8.5 Million in Swiss Account

Tajikistan forbids state officials from having bank accounts abroad. But that didn’t stop Qosim Rohbar, a powerful loyalist of authoritarian president Emomali Rahmon, from storing millions of dollars in Switzerland.

Natalia Kurmanalieva

Wanted Kyrgyz Minister’s Wife Had Swiss Bank Account

He fled the country, was accused of corruption, and declared wanted. But his wife was still able to maintain at least one bulging bank account in the heart of Europe.

Mian Mohammad Mansha

Bank Records Reveal Pakistani Mogul’s Possible Link to Suspect London Hotel Deal

Mansha may have had a secret Swiss link to a company that Pakistani investigators suspect was a front for money laundering.

Deepak Kamani

Suspect in Massive Kenyan Corruption Case Stashed Millions in Swiss Bank Account

A businessman on trial for a huge Kenyan government procurement scandal had a Credit Suisse account that appears to have remained active even after official investigations were launched.

Lt. Gen. Zahid Ali Akbar Khan

Pakistan Corruption Cash Concealed in Credit Suisse Accounts

A retired general was one of a handful of prominent Pakistanis who secretly held money in Credit Suisse accounts while they were being investigated at home.

Mohammad Javed

Credit Suisse Account Holding $56M Listed Owner as a Homeless Pakistani Man

“This certainly shows a due diligence failure,” said an anti-money laundering expert.

Orest Firmanyuk

Ukrainian “Top 10 Smuggler” Held Nearly $66 Million in Credit Suisse

A businessman sanctioned by Ukraine in 2021 over allegations he smuggled huge quantities of goods had a Swiss bank account worth $66 million, despite longstanding allegations of illegal activities.

Emmanuel Katto

Ugandan Arms Dealer’s Credit Suisse Account Stayed Open for Years After Helicopter Scandal

Emmanuel Katto was a client of the bank even after he was publicly named in a judicial investigation into a corrupt helicopter deal.

Janko Jovanović

Swiss Account Casts New Light on Bosnian Customs Official Previously Accused of Corruption

Janko Jovanović denies having a Swiss bank account, but records show he kept the equivalent of $1.7 million at Credit Suisse.

Akan Ismaili

Kosovo’s Former Ambassador to U.S. Failed to Report Millions in Credit Suisse Account

As a senior public official, Ismaili was required by law to declare his assets, including foreign bank accounts. But he failed to notify Kosovo authorities about nearly 4 million Swiss francs in his Credit Suisse account.

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