Bosses at HM Revenue and Customs faced humiliation today after an email emerged showing the organisation was offered evidence linked to the tax avoidance scandal seven years ago.
It comes after HM Revenue and Customs chief Lin Homer told MPs she had no knowledge of the email sent in 2008.
Ms Homer made her claim while being grilled by MPs on Wednesday over HMRC’s knowledge of British account holders at HSBC’s Swiss subsidiary, which is at the centre of the scandal.
But the email sent to HMRC by Herve Falciani, the whistleblower who took the information from the bank, was uncovered by French newspaper Le Monde.
Mr Falciani told the BBC: “It required seven years of battles to get to the point we are just now.”
He added: “It proved that I’m right.”
Mr Falciani said he thought HSBC should be prosecuted, following allegations the bank helped clients avoid tax in their home countries.
HSBC says it has already reformed its practices.
