ALICEA CASTELLANOS - IRS-CI Mexico City Initiative Locates 79 Criminal Fugitives In 1st Year

WASHINGTON – IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Mexico City located 79 criminal fugitives in Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras as part of a new initiative.

“We are going after anyone who thinks they can cheat the government and simply flee to the south,” said IRS-CI Mexico City Attaché Jaushua Brewer. “Now with so much help from our host country partners, it is even harder for criminals to escape justice.”

In June 2021, IRS-CI Mexico City launched the program to analyze fugitive files, collaborate with U.S. agencies and foreign partners to locate criminals who absconded abroad, and conduct trainings on the extradition process. Through the initiative, in fiscal year 2022, IRS-CI Mexico City located 79 individuals for possible extradition. Eight fugitives have been apprehended to face criminal proceedings or sentences, and include:

Read More

IRS Spotlights Criminal Investigation Law Enforcement

CI pursues financial crimes like money laundering, terrorist financing, cybercrimes, and sanctions evasion—including investigating and seizing assets of Russian elites

I. Introduction

IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) serves the American public by investigating potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes in a manner that fosters confidence in the tax system and compliance with the law. It is the only federal law enforcement agency authorized to investigate federal criminal tax violations and pursues related financial crimes, such as money laundering, currency violations, and terrorist financing. These efforts are increasingly important given emerging threats in the global financial landscape.

General tax fraud investigations are at the core of CI’s law enforcement efforts—for example, agents expend substantial energy unpacking domestic and offshore tax avoidance strategies that are facilitated through trust and partnership arrangements. CI also investigates money laundering by criminals and criminal organizations, corruption, and broader non-tax related fraud cases. CI has the authority to seize assets that are involved in money laundering or other unlawful activities, and it is the largest law enforcement division of Treasury with this capacity.

Read More

IRS Criminal Investigation

As part of a continuing focus on compliance issues, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that Damon Rowe will serve as the agency’s director of the newly created Fraud Enforcement Office beginning in mid-March.

Rowe and the new office will reside in the IRS Small Business/Self Employed Division and work on agency-wide compliance issues. He will serve as the principal advisor and consultant to IRS Division Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners on all issues involving Fraud Enforcement strategic plans, programs and policy.

A veteran of IRS Criminal Investigation, he will also provide agencywide executive leadership and direction in the design, development and delivery of major activities within the Fraud Enforcement office in support of IRS efforts to detect and deter fraud while strengthening the National Fraud Program.

In addition to leveraging existing law enforcement relationships, Rowe will have a continued focus on unscrupulous activities of taxpayers and professional enablers that undermine our Federal Tax Laws in a manner that is consistent and fair to the American public. With additional training, resources and applied analytics, SB/SE will thwart emerging threats as it relates to fraudulent filings and related activities.
Read More

IRS- Criminal Investigations

The Internal Revenue Service released the Criminal Investigation Division’s (CI) annual report, reflecting significant accomplishments and criminal enforcement actions taken in fiscal year 2018.

“This report shows that as financial crime has evolved and proliferated around the world, so have IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and their abilities to track the proceeds of financial crime,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “CI uses cutting-edge technology combined with sophisticated investigative work to bring the most impactful cases that affect tax administration. I am extremely proud of our special agents and professional staff and their work serving the nation.”

A major focus of CI in fiscal 2018 was traditional tax cases, including international tax enforcement, employment tax, refund fraud and tax-related identity theft. Other areas of emphasis included public corruption, cyber crime, terrorist financing and money laundering.

Read More