Geneva Attorney General Olivier Jornot briefed reporters on the raids and noted that their goal is "to verify if the information that has been made public [is] well-founded and if de facto reproaches can be made, whether it be towards the bank, or towards physical persons, like collaborators or clients." Jornot noted that "as of now, we aim at securing all the information concerning the accounts and clients who have been mentioned as detaining funds resulting from criminal offences." The attorney general added that "what we are looking for today is not yet proof. What we are looking for today are all documents, all information which will then allow us to make an analysis."
The revelations of wrong-doing were issued first issued by former bank employee and whistleblower Herve Falciani in 2008. Wednesday's raids may have been meant as a symbolic gesture marking Swiss authorities decision to begin an investigation into the matter. Swiss authorities had earlier indicted Falciani, who had fled to Spain, charging him with industrial espionage and breaking banking secrecy laws. Attorney General Jornot noted that Falciani's information could not be admitted as evidence for the investigation, since it was stolen.
