French Court Hits Swiss Bank UBS With $5.1 Billion Penalty

Photographer: Michael Buholzer/AFP via Getty Images

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Paris (AP) -- A French court ordered Switzerland's largest bank, UBS, to pay 4.5 billion euros ($5.1 billion) in fines and damages for helping wealthy French clients evade tax authorities, sending a stern warning to tax dodgers and the banks that aid them.

The Paris court convicted Zurich-based UBS AG on Wednesday of aggravated money laundering of the proceeds of tax fraud and illegal bank soliciting, issuing what French media called a record fine.