The Women Who Knew Too Much: The Price To Pay For Whistleblowers

The following is from a 2016 article in Euronews.com

THE WOMEN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH:  THE PRICE TO PAY FOR WHISTLE-BLOWERS

By Valerie Gauriot



"The woman who really knew too much" is how Stephanie Gibaud has described herself.
It's also the title of a book published by the former marketing manager of Swiss bank UBS.
A book that's led to her being summoned to court to answer libel claims brought by it's French subsidiary.
It's the third time in six years that she's facing her former employer in French courts.

"UBS filed a complaint against me in 2010 for libel; for daring to ask questions about illegal canvasing and tax evasion.
I had to go on trial in 2010, and of course I was discharged.
And then it was I who brought UBS before a tribunal for harassment, where I also won. And in both cases there was no appeal," Gibaud tole Euronews.

Charged with money laundering and tax fraud, the Swiss bank had to pay bail of more than one billion euros.
According to the ongoing investigation, UBS has concealed more than $12 billion euros from French tax authorities via offshore accounts, and yet it continues to hound it's former employee.

"That's what I call 'organized mobbing, gang stalking'.
It's meant to make you crack.
That's what they expect.
Because you're just a crumb in front of this super-powerful multinational firm.
And it shows the impunity of  those companies who's only rule is money," added Gibaud.

It all began in 2008 with a probe at the UBS France premises; her boss asked her to destroy her computer files containing the names of clients and account managers.

She refused, and then discovered that her bank used Swiss account managers to unlawfully canvas French customers, and held so-called "milk-books" - parallel accounting covering tax evasion transactions.

"I threw myself into the lion's den.
I went to see the legal affairs manager, the general manager, the president. the head of human resources.
In fact, from the moment I refused the orders, everything was organized to go against me."

Harassed, then cast aside, she was finally sacked in 2012.
The $30,000 euros she was awarded after her harassment claim against UBS only covered her legal fees.

Gibaud now lives on minimum social benefits, with the youngest of her two children.


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Google: "The women who knew too much: The price to pay for whistleblowers"
(Euronews.com, January 29, 2016)