GENEVA (AP) - Swiss media report that U.S. officials have given Switzerland an ultimatum to hand over details on the number of Americans who used Swiss banks to cheat on their taxes.
Zurich weekly SonntagsZeitung says U.S. Deputy Attorney General James Cole set the deadline in a letter sent to senior Swiss diplomat Michael Ambuehl Aug. 31.
The newspaper says it has seen a copy of the letter in which Cole demands to know how many Americans avoided paying taxes by hiding money in Swiss banks.
The NZZ am Sonntag newspaper cites unnamed Swiss officials familiar with the case as saying the U.S. is threatening to bring charges against one or more Swiss banks unless the information is received.
Swiss and U.S. officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment Sunday.