Swiss American Holding Company SA

A battle for legal jurisdiction between the US government and four offshore financial institutions in a $7 million forfeiture case contains a number of important issues that will affect all companies and individuals who operate offshore but have US clients.Among arguments being put forward by the US government for jurisdiction over banking entities located in Antigua, Switzerland and Panama is the fact that the offshore companies sell their services over the Internet, which can be accessed in the US; that Swiss American Bank has advertised in the in-flight magazine of American Airlines; and that SAB has correspondent banking relationships with banks in the States.

The US government has filed a landmark civil lawsuit against banks in Antigua, Panama and Switzerland in an attempt to recover $7 million that it claims are the proceeds of criminal activity.The lawsuit is considered to be of significance to other offshore tax havens because it will test the ability of the US government to enforce home-based judgements in foreign territories against offshore companies who collaborate with money launderers.The US government is suing Swiss American Bank Ltd. and Swiss American National Bank Ltd., which are both registered in Antigua; Swiss American Holding Company S. A. of Panama and Inter-Maritime Bank of Geneva.