Former Julius Baer executive hands over offshore bank details to WikiLeaks

A former executive at Swiss bank Julius Baer has handed over the offshore account details of around 2,000 corporations and high net worth people - including politicians - to WikiLeaks.

Rudolf Elmer presented CDs containing the information, which he claims reveals potential tax evasion, to WikiLeaks at the Frontline Club in London, two days before he goes on trial in Switzerland.

The former Julius Baer COO in the Cayman Islands earlier told the “Observer” newspaper that he is handing over the data on multinationals, hedge funds, artists and around 40 politicians, which comes from three financial institutions, "in order to educate society".

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, currently on bail, was at the press conference to receive the data, which he said would be vetted before publication and that some of it may also be handed over the Serious Fraud Office.

Assange also says that in 2008 Julius Baer went to court in the US in a failed bid to have WikiLeaks.org shut down over previous revelations.

Elmer left Julius Baer in 2004 and has since become a self-styled whistleblower seeking to expose the use of offshore accounts for tax evasion, describing himself on his Website, swisswhistleblower.com, as an activist, reformer and banker.

Later this week the ex-banker faces trial in Switzerland over allegations that he breached bank secrecy and threatened Julius Baer officials.

You can watch the full press conference below.