Tidjane Thiam, the ex-chief executive of Credit Suisse, was unsuccessful in a legal battle against his housemaid whom he had accused of extorting him. A Zurich court ruled in favour of the Romanian housemaid of Mr Thiam on Wednesday, stating that her demand for a hefty amount of francs as contractual compensation from him, alleging harsh working conditions, was within her rights.
The lady, whose identity wasn’t disclosed by the court, underwent a mental breakdown after working at Mr Thiam’s opulent villa on Lake Zurich. Medical practitioners determined she was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder caused by her work. She has an extended history of employment with affluent clients across the globe.
As per Stephan Reinhardt, the housemaid’s attorney, during the tenure of her employment with Mr Thiam, she was never able to take holidays or breaks. The events took a serious turn in December 2018 when she alleged that early on a Sunday morning, she was verbally harassed by Mr Thiam’s partner over a malfunctioned boiler in the house. This incident led to her admission to the hospital.
Speaking before the court, the lady stressed that she had no intention to bring these events to public attention. All her complaints against Mr Thiam were detailed by Reinhardt, while she only added that the job had been exceedingly taxing for her. She had earlier won a civil lawsuit against Mr. Thiam, the details of which were not disclosed until present.
The allegation of extortion brought by Mr Thiam revolves around her demand for compensation. After her hospitalisation, the bank’s then-chief executive dismissed her. She wrote to him asking for compensation as mentioned in her contract, but he contested the claim and refused to pay.
In 2021, she sent him a message asking for 587,000 Swiss francs (€621,000) in compensation and mentioned that she had no intention to antagonise him. She further warned that if the issue was not addressed, she would involve trade unions and inform the International Olympic Committee, of which Mr Thiam is a member, about her case.
Mr Thiam’s legal representatives claimed that the letter was an unlawful attempt at extortion. However, the judge overruled this claim, declaring that the letter most likely did not have any impact of coercion on the high-profile ex-banker.
Mr Thiam, who is presently participating in the Paris Olympic Games, was absent from court proceedings. Individuals privy to the matter have indicated that he intends to challenge the judgement. In accordance with Swiss jurisdiction, a ruling doesn’t acquire legal effectuality until all possibilities for appeal have been depleted.
In the wake of his successful financial occupation, Mr Thiam is positioning himself to contest in the presidential elections to be held in his homeland of Ivory Coast the following year. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024.