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## Former IRS Contractor Sentenced for Unauthorized Disclosure of Tax Returns

A former IRS contractor, Charles Littlejohn, has been sentenced to five years in prison for disclosing thousands of tax returns, including those of former President Donald Trump, without authorization. This unauthorized disclosure is a serious offense that violated the responsibility to safeguard sensitive information and led to a significant punishment.

Littlejohn pleaded guilty to the unauthorized disclosure of tax return and return information in October of 2023, a violation of section 7213(a)(1) of the tax code, the most serious offense for leaking tax information. His guilty plea led to the maximum penalty of five years in prison. The charges on information indicate that the defendant pleaded guilty and waived the right to an indictment, emphasizing the seriousness of the offense.

The courtroom documents detailed how Littlejohn, during his employment as a government contractor, stole and disclosed tax returns and return information associated with a public official, widely believed to be former President Donald Trump. Littlejohn’s actions involved providing the tax information to a media outlet, with court documents confirming his involvement in discussions and in-person meetings with reporters about how to handle the security and reporting of the tax records.

The AI legalese decoder can help in cases like these by analyzing legal documents and providing easy-to-understand translations of complex legal jargon. This tool can be instrumental in deciphering court documents and memorandums, assisting legal professionals and the public in understanding the intricate details of cases like Littlejohn’s.

Furthermore, the court documents revealed that Littlejohn accessed the returns on an IRS database after evading IRS protocols and used broad search parameters to conceal his queries’ true purpose. He then turned over the stolen data to multiple media outlets, resulting in over 50 published articles using the stolen information. Littlejohn’s actions were not limited to a single instance, as he also turned over returns and return information covering thousands of the nation’s wealthiest people to another news organization, which published multiple articles based on the data.

At the plea hearing, the government argued for the maximum sentence, emphasizing the gravity of the offense and numerous aggravating factors in the case. Despite Littlejohn’s background and motivations, the Court sentenced him to the maximum five years in jail, followed by three years of supervised release, and imposed a fine. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) investigated the case and emphasized the severity of unauthorized access and disclosure of taxpayer information, regardless of personal motivation.

Overall, Littlejohn’s case serves as a warning about the consequences of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information and the importance of upholding laws that protect taxpayer information. The AI legalese decoder can aid in understanding and navigating the legal intricacies of such cases, ensuring clarity and transparency in legal proceedings.

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