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General white-collar crime

The field of crime General white-collar crime within the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) encompasses proceedings involving financial market offences (market abuse), which fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Confederation. It also covers international or intercantonal offences against property and of forgery of documents.

Cybercrime

In Switzerland, the fight against cybercrime is a task that must be carried out in collaboration with all competent partners. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) handles complex proceedings within its own jurisdiction and supports the cantons as an intermediary and facilitator. In close collaboration with national and international partners, the OAG works to make Switzerland less vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Forensic Financial Analysis

The employees of the Forensic Financial Analysis (FFA) division of the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) often have as their initial task to trace the flow of money in criminal proceedings. However, their scope of activity is much broader. In the field of economic offenses in particular, their analyses are indispensable for the successful conduct of criminal proceedings. Moreover, the FFA’s expertise is increasingly called upon in matters relating to criminal organizations, offenses involving sanctions and embargoes, terrorist financing, international criminal law, as well as crimes against national security.

Money laundering

The Money laundering field of crime primarily concerns significant cases of transnational laundering in which the predicate offense—frequently fraud or corruption, for example—was committed abroad, and where the laundering of the proceeds of these offenses has already been carried out to a predominant extent abroad. This latter criterion establishes the jurisdiction of the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG).

International corruption

The International Corruption field of crime handles cases of bribery of foreign public officials as defined in Art. 322septies SCC, along with related offences. Proceedings in this field, which is part of the "Economic Crime" division, are often initiated on the basis of information received through mutual legal assistance requests from abroad, reports submitted by Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) to the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG), or criminal complaints.

Mutual Legal Assistance

The Mutual legal assistance field of crime is responsible for executing requests for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters from abroad that are delegated to it by the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ). In addition, as a centre of expertise, it assists other divisions of the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) in the area of international mutual legal assistance and represents the OAG in the relevant international fora.

Organized Crime

The Organized Crime field of crime is responsible for the prosecution of associative offences (participation in or support of a criminal organization), as well as offences committed by criminal organizations to expand their influence within the Swiss economic and social fabric. This prosecutorial activity is a strategic priority of the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) and is carried out in close cooperation with partners at both the national and international levels.

National Security

The protection of Switzerland is one of the central missions of the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG). In a complex international environment, it aims to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, security, and democratic institutions against serious threats. The OAG intervenes whenever there is suspicion of offenses that could jeopardise Switzerland’s fundamental interests.

Terrorism

The fight against terrorism constitutes a strategic priority for the Office of the Attorney general of Switzerland (OAG). As the competent authority for criminal prosecutions at the federal level, the OAG acts to prevent, investigate, and sanction terrorist acts threatening the country’s security. The Terrorism field of crime is responsible for handling the most sensitive and complex cases in this area.

International Criminal Law

Since the amendments to the Swiss Criminal Code (SCC) and the revision of the Swiss Criminal Procedure Code (CrimPC) that entered into force on 1 January 2011, the federal authorities have been solely competent, in times of peace, to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. However, the perpetrator must be present on Swiss territory and must not be extradited or surrendered to an international criminal tribunal whose jurisdiction is recognised by Switzerland (Art. 264m SCC). The International Criminal Law field of crime represents a strategic priority for the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG).