February trial date set in Fla. for former executive at Swiss bank UBS charged with conspiracy

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A February trial date has been set in Florida for a former senior executive at Swiss bank UBS AG charged with tax fraud conspiracy.

U.S. District Judge James Cohn ordered trial during the two-week period beginning Feb. 18 for Raoul Weil, former head of Global Wealth Management at UBS. The 54-year-old Weil pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the tax charge, part of a broad federal probe into tax evasion by wealthy U.S. citizens.

Cohn's order says he would consider a possible change of plea at a Feb. 12 hearing. Weil's lawyer says he will fight the charge, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence.

In 2009, UBS paid a $780 million fine and turned over thousands of names of customers to U.S. investigators. Many of them have been prosecuted.