Former City banker charged with insider dealing

City investment banker Thomas Ammann has become the latest City professional charged with insider dealing by watchdog the Financial Services Authority. The German banker, based in London, worked for Mizuho at a time when the Japanese bank advised Canon in 2010 on its €1.3bn takeover of Dutch firm Océ, which makes photocopiers and scanners. The alleged insider dealing relates to trades in Océ between February and November 2009. He was arrested in November last year along with an alleged associate, 28-year-old Jessica Mang. This led to the arrest of Christina Weckwerth, a second alleged associate. Weckwerth, aged 42, lives in Germany but holds a British passport. Ammann left the bank shortly after he was arrested. The two women were not linked to the bank. In a statement the FSA said Ammann had been charged with three counts of insider dealing, one count of money laundering and two counts of encouraging insider dealing. Weckwerth has been charged with two counts of insider dealing and one of money laundering, while Mang faces a single count of insider dealing. They have been bailed to appear before City of Westminster magistrates court on 23 August. 38-year-old Ammann, who is believed to have studied at Cologne University, joined Mizuho as a trainee investment adviser in August 2007 and later became an associate director within the bank's investment banking division in London. In a statement Mizuho said: "The FSA has confirmed that there has been no wrongdoing by Mizuho International and no actions are being taken against Mizuho International. The FSA has not expressed any concern about Mizuho International or its systems and controls. The transactions to which the charges relate were executed by the individual in his personal capacity and were not done through or processed by Mizuho International."