U.S. Judge May Soon Approve Swiss Holocaust Pact

A U.S. District judge is expected to approve a $1.25 billion accord reached more than two years ago by Swiss banks to settle claims of that they never returned valuables deposited by Holocaust survivors prior to World War II.

The approval could come as early as this week, and is one of the last steps before Holocaust survivors and their families can collect their money. Swiss bank regulators recently approved the plan, meaning distribution of the $1.25 billion can be based on lists of prewar accounts with banks that were looted, dormant or closed.