A former
UBS manager and a Swiss lawyer were indicted yesterday in a widening US crackdown on bankers and lawyers who allegedly helped wealthy US citizens evade taxes, media reports said.

Hansruedi Schumacher, a Neue Zurcher Bank manager who once ran the cross-border business for UBS, and Matthias Rickenbach, a Zurich lawyer, were charged with helping Americans evade taxes on UBS and NZB accounts.

Two UBS bankers and five of the bank’s clients were previously charged.

The indictment came after UBS agreed to reveal data on 4,450 accounts to settle a US lawsuit seeking names of US people suspected of evading taxes. The IRS is pursuing bankers and lawyers beyond UBS, Commissioner Douglas Shulman was reported as saying.

Prosecutors said this week that 150 Americans are under criminal investigation.

“As more Americans voluntarily come into compliance and face their financial obligations, more leads are being developed and new investigations are initiated,’’ acting US Attorney Jeffrey Sloman said.

US authorities have issued arrest warrants for Mr Rickenbach and Mr Schumacher, who are Swiss citizens and can’t be extradited, according to a person familiar with the matter, the New York Times reported.