DOJ is seeking 5 years in prison for Charles Littlejohn, the former IRS contractor who pleaded guilty last year to leaking tax records belonging to Trump and over a thousand wealthy individuals to the media. Big jump from the 8-14 month guidelines estimate.
In a recent development, the Department of Justice revealed that a former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) contractor, Charles Littlejohn, admitted to taking on his role with the specific intention of stealing and leaking tax returns, including those of President Donald Trump. The sentencing judge was informed of this revelation on Wednesday, shedding light on a complex case that has implications for privacy, national security, and the functioning of government institutions.
Federal prosecutors recommend Charles Littlejohn receive a five-year prison sentence for leaking Trump’s tax returns and those of thousands of wealthy Americans. Such a sentence is the maximum Littlejohn could face after pleading guilty last year- Dan A Nygaard
Last October, Littlejohn pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information. Prosecutors are now urging the imposition of the maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison, contending that his actions constitute a severe breach of the public trust and warrant significant punishment.
During his tenure with Booz Allen, a consulting firm engaged in IRS contracts from 2008 to 2013, Littlejohn had access to extensive unmasked taxpayer data. Prosecutors argued that, after President Trump assumed office in 2017, Littlejohn actively sought to return to Booz Allen, intending to access and disclose tax returns of the president whom he perceived as a threat to democracy.
Prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison sentence for former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn for leaking the tax returns of Donald Trump and thousands of wealthy Americans https://t.co/UfVAzN9qpQ https://t.co/UfVAzN9qpQ
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 17, 2024
Over a span of more than two years, Littlejohn exploited his access to unmasked taxpayer data to pursue his personal and political agenda, considering himself above the law. The result was the unlawful leaking of private tax returns and financial information to multiple news organizations. While the court records did not identify the specific news outlets, ProPublica and The New York Times were among those that published articles based on the leaked documents.
DOJ: Ex-IRS employee who leaked Trump’s tax returns intentionally got job to disclose records – USA Today
Prosecutors emphasized the importance of a free press and public engagement with the media in a healthy democracy but underscored that stealing and leaking private tax information undermines the legal protection of individuals’ sensitive data, emphasizing the need for equal protection under the law.
NEW: DOJ is seeking 5 years in prison for Charles Littlejohn, the former IRS contractor who pleaded guilty last year to leaking tax records belonging to Trump and over a thousand wealthy individuals to the media. Big jump from the 8-14 month guidelines estimate pic.twitter.com/WXM9IU5ZM2
— Daniel Barnes (@dnlbrns) January 16, 2024
Arguing for the maximum sentence, prosecutors claimed that Littlejohn leaked tax returns of over a thousand individuals, causing significant harm, including invasion of privacy and psychological distress. They contended that this crime had eroded public faith and confidence in the IRS, a crucial institution for the effective functioning of the government.
The filing revealed that Littlejohn’s sophisticated scheme involved gaining access to unmasked taxpayer data in February 2018. By the end of that year, he had developed a detailed plan to clandestinely download President Trump’s tax returns from a specific internal IRS database without detection. To avoid scrutiny, he used more generalized parameters to search for the president’s private data.
Exploiting a loophole in IRS protocols, Littlejohn uploaded the stolen files to a private website under his control. He then downloaded the files onto a personal computer, storing copies on an Apple iPod configured as a personal hard drive. Littlejohn reportedly shopped the tax returns to a news outlet in May 2019, resulting in the publication of over 50 articles using the stolen data.
DOJ: IRS leaker sought consultant role with express purpose of releasing Trump’s tax returns. Charles Littlejohn is facing a maximum of 5 years in prison. https://t.co/1ihH8S8bmQ
— CJ4America2 (@GrammyC4Zone2) January 17, 2024
In September 2020, The New York Times reported obtaining the 2016 and 2017 tax records of President Trump, and in June 2021, ProPublica published private tax return information of billionaires such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, Warren Buffett, Peter Thiel, and others.
The filing also alleged that Littlejohn obstructed the investigation by deleting and destroying evidence of his disclosures. However, it remains unclear how officials were able to detect his behavior.
Booz Allen’s spokesperson, responding to the revelations, affirmed full support for the investigation into Littlejohn’s actions. The firm condemned his actions, stating a zero-tolerance policy for violations of the law and reiterating their commitment to operating under the highest ethical and professional guidelines.
This case raises critical questions about safeguarding sensitive information, the role of contractors in handling such data, and the measures needed to maintain public trust in governmental institutions. As legal proceedings unfold, the implications of this incident will likely resonate in discussions around data security, privacy, and the potential consequences for those who betray the public trust.
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Major Points Discussed:
- Former IRS contractor, Charles Littlejohn, pleads guilty to unauthorized disclosure of tax returns, admitting to stealing and leaking data, including President Trump’s tax returns.
- Prosecutors push for a maximum five-year prison sentence, citing Littlejohn’s betrayal of public trust and its significant impact on over a thousand individuals, leading to invasion of privacy and psychological distress.
- Littlejohn had access to extensive unmasked taxpayer data during his tenure with Booz Allen, a consulting firm working on IRS contracts from 2008 to 2013.
- After President Trump took office in 2017, Littlejohn sought to return to Booz Allen with the intent of accessing and disclosing the president’s tax returns, considering him a threat to democracy.
- Littlejohn executed a sophisticated scheme, exploiting IRS protocols to secretly download Trump’s tax returns, subsequently leaking them to multiple news outlets, with ProPublica and The New York Times among those publishing articles based on the stolen data.
Alice Farnsio
Comments – Threads – Links
- A liberal leaker going to jail? I’ll believe it when I see it- Jeff Storment
- Why only 5 years? 20 years for walking in the halls of congress on January 6, and only 5 years for absolute skulduggery?- VKS
- Give him 10 DOJ is complicit- @mkUltra511
- Why not 20 – 30 years as it’s a Federal offense- James Bodman
- There lot of leaking in government, some for the good and some for the bad- Badmoonarising
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