• ABOUT
  • ADVERTISE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • CAREERS
  • CONTACT
Sunday, January 17, 2021
Subscribe to Newsletter
No Result
View All Result
Whistleblower Network News
  • Home
  • News
    • Corporate
    • Dodd-Frank
    • False Claims-Qui Tam
    • Foreign Corruption
    • Government
    • Intelligence
    • IRS & Tax
    • Legislation
    • OSHA
    • Sarbanes-Oxley
    • SEC
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
  • Whistleblower of the Week
Whistleblower Network News
  • Home
  • News
    • Corporate
    • Dodd-Frank
    • False Claims-Qui Tam
    • Foreign Corruption
    • Government
    • Intelligence
    • IRS & Tax
    • Legislation
    • OSHA
    • Sarbanes-Oxley
    • SEC
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
  • Whistleblower of the Week
No Result
View All Result
Whistleblower Network News
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

Opinion: 2019 IRS whistleblowers flag tax fraud, offshore accounts and unreported income

Dean ZerbebyDean Zerbe
January 7, 2020
in Opinion
Reading Time: 3min read
0
Opinion: 2019 IRS whistleblowers flag tax fraud, offshore accounts and unreported income
Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInEmail

The IRS just released its annual report on the whistleblower program – showing over $616 million dollars brought into the Treasury thanks to the work of tax whistleblowers speaking out about tax evasion. While the awards to tax whistleblowers is not as high as last year’s record of a collection of over $1.4 billion dollars and $312 million in awards – the awards for FY 2019 are still a solid $120 million (by comparison a marked improvement still over the $33.9 million in FY 2017 awards).

The trend is clear that the IRS has embraced the modern mandatory tax whistleblower program created by my old boss Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) – and it is honest taxpayers who have most benefited. Credit to the director of the IRS whistleblower office Lee Martin and his team for getting these awards out (as well as the support from IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig for the program).

RelatedPosts

Opinion: 2020 New Year’s Resolution: Promises Made, Promises Kept

Opinion: To Ensure a Transparent Government Biden and Congress Must Prioritize MSPB Appointments

Opinion: Congress Intended Tax Whistleblowers to Enjoy De Novo Review

Load More

The report makes note that the clarification in the law (26 U.S.C. 7623(c)) that whistleblowers can be paid for FBAR violations (undeclared foreign bank accounts) as well as criminal fines has been a key – with $110 million of the $616 million collected based on that clarification of the law. From my own practice representing tax whistleblowers, it is clear that the IRS continues to take a strong interest in receiving information from informed whistleblowers about offshore accounts and criminal tax activity. Interesting, the report highlights for the first time that the IRS received 282 submissions from whistleblowers overseas last year. Being a foreign national is certainly not a bar to blowing the whistle to the IRS – and receiving an award.

Protect Yourself: Purchase the New Whistleblower Handbook Protect Yourself: Purchase the New Whistleblower Handbook Protect Yourself: Purchase the New Whistleblower Handbook
Source: IRS

 

The report highlights again (as Director Martin has as well on numerous occasions publicly) that the top reason – 51%! — a whistleblower submission is rejected is because the submission is not specific (table 4). The IRS does not want submissions that are speculative. The IRS wants and welcomes submissions that are grounded – particularly those coming from credible whistleblowers — containing known facts, dealing with specific taxpayers and ideally, with documents in hand and involving recent/current tax evasion.

I’m honored that my clients (including clients with whom I’ve co-counseled with the good folks at KKC law firm) for the year covered by today’s report received roughly half of the awards provided. However, from that perspective, I can only reinforce what the IRS report is stating — that it takes a whistleblower submission that hits all the right notes and is presented clearly and concisely to have a chance of the IRS taking action and possibly resulting in an award.

Finally, the report also highlights a continued trend in Table 2(B) that whistleblower filings about tax evasion that are of interest to IRS criminal investigators (tax fraud; offshore accounts; failure to report income; failure to file) as well as tax evasion by large businesses get a great deal of interest and attention from the IRS. The IRS clearly sits up and pays attention when a whistleblower is coming in with a strong understanding of the tax issues at play and who is informed (particularly an insider).

Dean Zerbe draws on a career in government service — including eight years as tax counsel for the Senate Finance Committee — to comment on tax law and policy. This column first appeared in Forbes.

Tags: Dean ZerbeIRS WhistleblowerTax Whistleblowers
Previous Post

Can courts proceed with a whistleblower suit after the DOJ seeks dismissal?

Next Post

Report: Many states lack law enforcement staff dedicated to environmental crime

Dean Zerbe

Dean Zerbe

Next Post
Report: Many states lack law enforcement staff dedicated to environmental crime

Report: Many states lack law enforcement staff dedicated to environmental crime

Write a Letter to The Editor.

Most Popular

Deutsche Bank to Pay over $130 Million to Settle FCPA Charges

1 week ago

Kim Farrington

7 days ago

Smart Home Tech Company Settles FIRREA Whistleblower Case With DOJ For $3.2 Million

4 days ago

President-elect Biden Nominates William J. Burns as Head of CIA

6 days ago

Taiwan Substantially Increases Awards for Financial Whistleblowers

5 days ago

Whistleblower to Receive $480,000 in Settlement, Lawyer Explains the Case

5 days ago

Whistleblower Poll

Increased Whistleblower Protections
Legislation

Candidate’s Position on Increased Whistleblower Protections Influences 44% of Likely Voters

byAna Popovich
October 6, 2020
0

Protect Yourself: Buy the New Whistleblower Handbook Protect Yourself: Buy the New Whistleblower Handbook Protect Yourself: Buy the New Whistleblower Handbook

STAY INFORMED. Sign up for daily whistleblower email and social notifications from the Whistleblower Network News.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Qui Tam

  • Dodd-Frank
  • IRS & Tax
  • SEC
  • Foreign Corruption
  • False Claims-Qui Tam

Retaliation

  • OSHA
  • Sarbanes-Oxley

Government

  • Government
  • Intelligence
  • Legislation
  • Veterans

Features

  • Whistleblower of the Week
  • Editorial
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Opinion

Resources

  • FAQs
  • National Whistleblower Day
  • National Whistleblower Center
  • Whistleblower Handbook
Whistleblower Network News

Whistleblower Network News is an independent online newspaper providing our readers with up-to-date information on whistleblowing. Our goal is to be the best source of information on important qui tam, anti-corruption, compliance, and whistleblower law developments. 

Submit an Article
  • ABOUT
  • ADVERTISE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • CAREERS
  • CONTACT

Copyright © 2020, Whistleblower Network News. All Rights Reserved.

This Newspaper/Web Site is made available by the lawyer or law firm publisher for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. By using this website, you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Newspaper/Web Site publisher. The Newspaper/Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Corporate
    • Dodd-Frank
    • False Claims-Qui Tam
    • Foreign Corruption
    • Government
    • Intelligence
    • IRS & Tax
    • Legislation
    • OSHA
    • Sarbanes-Oxley
    • SEC
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
  • Whistleblower of the Week
  • Login

Copyright © 2020, Whistleblower Network News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
Sign In with Google
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Sign Up with Facebook
Sign Up with Google
OR

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Go to mobile version