IRS: Data Leak Affected Many More Taxpayers Than Previously Said

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

Tax officials say details of hundreds of thousands of people were leaked.

Information on more than 400,000 taxpayers was leaked by an IRS contractor, the tax agency said in a newly disclosed letter.

Acting IRS Commissioner Douglas W. O’Donnell wrote in the letter dated Feb. 14 and released to the public on Feb. 25 that Charles Littlejohn “inappropriately disclosed” information on 405,427 taxpayers.

O’Donnell said the number came from a data analysis conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the IRS.

The IRS previously pegged the number of people whose information was exposed at more than 70,000.

The agency did not respond to a request for comment.

“The IRS’s admission confirms the Committee’s suspicion and recent reports that show the scope of the leak was much broader than what the Biden Administration’s IRS initially led the public to believe,” Republicans on the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee said on the social media platform X.

O’Donnell sent the letter to the committee’s chairman, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and the panel released it about 10 days later.

Littlejohn was working for an IRS contractor in 2019 and 2020 when he illegally disclosed thousands of federal tax returns and other financial information to news agencies, including then-President Donald Trump’s information, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Littlejohn pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful disclosure of tax returns and return information.

A judge in 2024 sentenced Littlejohn to five years in prison.

Littlejohn said at his sentencing hearing that he was solely responsible for what he did and that he acted out of a “sincere and misguided belief” that he was serving the “public interest” but “systematically [violated]” the privacy of thousands of people.

The IRS has said it was partly at fault for the crimes.

“The IRS takes its responsibilities seriously and acknowledges that it failed to prevent Mr. Littlejohn’s criminal conduct and unlawful disclosure of Mr. Griffin’s confidential data,” the agency said previously in a statement to Kenneth Griffin, one of the individuals whose information was disclosed.

The IRS has said it has improved its data security by targeting weaknesses identified by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration following the discovery of the illegal disclosures.

By Zachary Stieber

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Obama Floats ‘New Forms of [State-Controlled] Journalism’

Notorious nemesis of civil liberties one and all, Barack Obama, ]apparently endorses a heavy state hand in the “regulation” of information.

Privilege Is Financial, Not Racial

If we stay divided by race, we’ll keep fighting each other while the true elites of all races thrive unseen, counting their wealth in comfort.

California Repeats Illinois’ History, PROSECUTE Newsom!

California may have improperly licensed 62,000 illegal aliens as Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) truck drivers.

The Stage Is Set For A US-Instigated Security Dilemma Between The Eurasian Rimland & Heartland

The US sends mixed signals on the Sino-Russo alliance after Trump downplayed concerns while Hegseth said he was ordered to “re-establish deterrence.”

Chambers of Horror

Using a shutdown to legislate is like using a flame thrower to light a candle, it provides light momentarily but destroys everything in its path.

Federal Judge Weighs Forcing USDA to Pay SNAP Benefits Despite Shutdown

A judge weighed forcing the USDA to use a $5 billion fund to prevent a lapse in the national food stamp program amid looming funding shortfalls.

About 80 Missing Children Rescued, 1,700 People Arrested in Memphis: Bondi

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said federal operations in Memphis this month recovered 80 missing children and arrested 1,700 people, including 126 gang members.

San Jose Proclaims ‘Republic of China Day,’ Honors Taiwanese Community’s Contributions

San Jose declared Oct. 25 “Republic of China Day,” honoring the Taiwanese American community’s cultural and economic contributions to the city.

US Tightens Ban on Chinese Tech Gears

The United States has extended its ban on Chinese electronics to cover products partly made by companies blacklisted on national security grounds.

US, South Korea Finalize Trade Deal Reducing Tariffs, Boosting American Investment

The U.S. and South Korea finalized a major trade deal on Oct. 29 as President Trump wrapped up the final hours of his Asian tour on the Korean Peninsula.

Trump, Japanese PM Sign Critical Minerals, Rare Earths Deal

The U.S. president visited Tokyo on the second leg...

Trump Hikes Canada’s Tariffs by 10 Percent for Not Pulling Anti-Tariff Ad Immediately

Trump announced he will increase tariffs on Canada by 10% after ad by provincial government of Ontario misrepresented President Reagan’s speech on tariffs.

Trump Rolls Back Emissions Rules on Copper Smelters

President Trump issued a proclamation aimed at reversing a Biden-era environmental rule that enforced stricter air emission standards on copper smelters.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central