Argentina: scandal widens over Swiss bank accounts

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentina's tax agency says the country's top cable TV operator, a former professional soccer player and a lawmaker are among the owners of some 4,000 secret Swiss bank accounts used to evade taxes.

The agency charged HSBC bank Thursday with helping Argentines evade taxes by stashing about $3 billion in the secret accounts.

The Telam state news agency published the agency's list of the account owners Friday. It includes cable TV operator Cablevision and executives at Grupo Clarin, Argentina's largest media group. It also includes opposition lawmaker Alfonso Prat-Gay, a former member of the Velez Sarsfield soccer club, executives at HSBC Argentina and even a local nongovernmental organization that fights against multiple sclerosis.

HSBC has denied any wrongdoing and several of those named Friday also rejected the allegations.