Fla. judge rejects delay in prison term for UBS informant who launched huge tax evasion probe

Fla. judge rejects prison delay for UBS informant

MIAMI — A Florida federal judge refuses to delay the prison reporting date for a former Swiss banker-turned-informant who helped launch a massive U.S. tax evasion investigation.

U.S. District Judge William Zloch on Monday rejected the delay request from former UBS AG banker Bradley Birkenfeld. He is due to begin serving a sentence of three years and four months on Friday.

Birkenfeld had asked for a delay so that he could provide more information to U.S. investigators in hopes of winning a shorter sentence. Prosecutors say Birkenfeld’s disclosures beginning in summer 2007 led to the exposure of thousands of suspected American tax cheaters and pierced the secrecy surrounding Swiss banking.

Birkenfeld pleaded guilty last year to a fraud conspiracy charge.