WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--A key government informant in the U.S. tax investigation of UBS AG's (UBS) cross-border banking business was sentenced Friday to 3 years and 4 months in prison for helping the Swiss bank's American clients cheat on their taxes.

By CURT ANDERSON,The Associated Press Friday, August 21, 2009 3:06 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A former banker described by prosecutors as the man most responsible for sparking a broad U.S. investigation into rich Americans' use of secret Swiss bank accounts to evade taxes was sentenced Friday to more than three years in federal prison.

Aug. 26 (Bloomberg) -- If he had kept his mouth shut and his head low, Bradley Birkenfeld would be a free man today. He didn't, so now the former UBS AG banker wears an electronic bracelet on his ankle and, beginning in January, will spend three years and four months in a federal penitentiary.

TAKE ACTION! 

Washington, D.C. September 3, 2009. As reported in a front page story of today's Washington Times, internationally respected whistleblower, Bunnatine Greenhouse, has issued an appeal to the U.S. Senate to pass strong protections for all federal employees. Mrs. Greenhouse was the only major Bush Administration executive to challenge the Halliburton "no bid" Iraq reconstruction contracts.  In 2005, Mrs. Greenhouse was featured in a Washington Post Style section article A Web of Truth: Whistle-Blower or Troublemaker, Bunny Greenhouse Isn't Backing Down and also on NOW: Politics & Economy Bunny Greenhouse. 

"We urge every American to read Bunny's letter and to TAKE ACTION! ," said Stephen M. Kohn, NWC Executive Director.  "This is not a Democrat or Republican issue.  This is not a partisian issue. This is an issue that goes to the heart of accountability and oversight. In the House of Representatives Democratic leader Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined with his republican colleague Todd Platts (R-PA) to introduce an effective whistleblower law that would give Bunny Greenhouse her day in court , The Senate should follow this bi-partisian lead and ensure that the promises made to whistleblowers during the 2008 election campaign are fulfilled."

Bunny Greenhouse Letter

NWC Press Release: Greenhouse's Most Recent Letter Causes A Stir

Read a 12-part series on the Whistleblower Protection Blog analyzing  the Senate Whistleblower Bill.

Background on Bunny Greenhouse