When the Whistleblower Enters the Dock

Swiss legal procedure has a peculiar habit of turning logic on its head. Lukas Hässig, the financial journalist whose investigative work unspooled the Raiffeisen scandal, now finds himself facing criminal charges for alleged violations of banking secrecy. The Zurich Public Prosecutor’s Office had actually shown little interest in taking him to court, having formally closed the case in December 2025. Yet, prosecutors are dragging the reporter into the courtroom anyway, courtesy of a legal challenge from one of the primary figures in the financial scandal.

That figure is Beat Stocker, former chief executive of credit card firm Aduno and co-accused partner of former Raiffeisen chief Pierin Vincenz. Stocker filed a formal objection against the dismissal of Hässig's proceedings, arguing that the journalist’s coverage of their alleged illicit dealings violated his personal privacy. Authorities had already raided Hässig's home and office in June 2025. Hässig fought the case up to the Federal Supreme Court, but after his appeal was rejected, he broke the news of his impending trial himself on his blog Inside Paradeplatz.

While Hässig prepares his defence against banking secrecy charges, the overarching criminal trial against Stocker and Vincenz continues its sluggish march through the system. The Zurich Obergericht is not expected to deliver its judgment until January 11, 2027. The district court had previously handed down unconditional prison sentences to both men, ordering three years and nine months for Vincenz and four years for Stocker.

The underlying allegations against Stocker and Vincenz remain astonishingly blunt. The pair reportedly bought undisclosed equity stakes in private companies and subsequently orchestrated their acquisition by Raiffeisen and Aduno at steep markups. Alongside millions in personal gains, the two men allegedly charged private entertainment expenses, including visits to cabarets and strip clubs, directly to corporate tab accounts.

As the main suspects await their eventual appellate ruling, the journalist who uncovered their network must face the bench first. The prosecution intends to withhold its requested penalty until the trial takes place, leaving Hässig caught in a system where exposing financial wrongdoing carries its own distinct legal hazard.

Written by Thomas Nussbaumer thomas.nussbaumer@alpineweekly.com