IRS Consultant Charged with Disclosing Tax Return Information to News Organizations

An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) consultant was charged today with disclosing tax return information without authorization.

According to court documents, Charles Littlejohn, 38, of Washington, D.C., while working at the IRS as a government contractor, stole tax return information associated with a high-ranking government official (Public Official A) and disclosed it to a news organization (News Organization 1). Littlejohn also stole tax return information for thousands of the nation’s wealthiest individuals, and disclosed this tax return information to another news organization (News Organization 2).

Littlejohn is charged with one count of unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Trevor Nelson of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) made the announcement.

TIGTA is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Lauren Castaldi and Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney for the Northern District of West Virginia.

A criminal information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.