NEW YORK — Former Swiss banker Rudolf Elmer on Monday gave WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange data on about 2,000 clients that he contends may have evaded taxes, published reports said.

At a press conference in London, Elmer told reporters about 40 politicians and "pillars of society" were among the individuals he gave Assange information on, the reports said.

Elmer told The Observer newspaper during the weekend that the individuals named in the data include "business people, politicians, people who have made their living in the arts and multinational conglomerates — from both sides of the Atlantic."

Elmer once headed the Cayman Islands office of Swiss bank Julius Baer. He faces trial in Switzerland on Wednesday on charges of violating the country's banking secrecy rules.

Assange said WikiLeaks would verify and release the information as soon as during the next two weeks.

Assange faces ongoing proceedings to extradite him from Britain to Sweden to face allegations of sexual misconduct brought by two women last year.

And, the United States is believed to be conducting an investigation into Assange and WikiLeaks after the release of classified U.S. government and military information.