The previous IRS contractor who leaked Trump’s tax returns to the New York Occasions and ProPublica was sentenced to solely 5 years in jail on Monday.
In September federal prosecutors charged a former IRS contractor who labored for the company from 2018 to 2020 for unlawfully acquiring and disseminating the tax particulars of a high-ranking public official and quite a few prosperous People to media retailers.
In keeping with court docket paperwork and an official press launch from the Department of Justice, Charles Littlejohn, 38, of Washington, D.C., stole tax return info related to a high-ranking authorities official, known as Public Official A – now often known as Donald Trump. He then disclosed this info to a information group recognized as Information Group 1 – now often known as The New York Occasions.
Littlejohn reportedly stole IRS info on 1000’s of rich folks. The stolen info was then disseminated to 2 information retailers (New York Occasions and ProPublica).
“In July and August 2020, Littlejohn separately stole tax return information for thousands of the nation’s wealthiest individuals. Littlejohn was again able to evade IRS detection. In November 2020, Littlejohn disclosed this tax return information to News Organization 2, which published over 50 articles using the stolen data. Littlejohn then obstructed the forthcoming investigation into his conduct by deleting and destroying evidence of his disclosures.” the DOJ beforehand stated.
The Biden DOJ requested US District Choose Ana C. Reyes, a Biden appointee, to condemn Littlejohn to solely 60 months in jail though he was answerable for the “biggest heist of IRS taxpayer data in history,” RealClearInvestigations reported.
Political leaders stated Littlejohn ought to have been sentenced to 60 years, not 60 months, RCI stated.
NBC Information reported:
The previous Inside Income Service contractor who leaked the tax data of former President Donald Trump to The New York Occasions in addition to the tax data of billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk to ProPublica was sentenced Monday to 5 years in jail.
Charles Littlejohn pleaded responsible in October, and prosecutors sought the statutory most of 5 years in federal jail, saying that he “abused his position by unlawfully disclosing thousands of Americans’ federal tax returns and other private financial information to multiple news organizations.” Prosecutors stated that Littlejohn “weaponized his access to unmasked taxpayer data to further his own personal, political agenda, believing that he was above the law.”
Littlejohn was sentenced by U.S. District Choose Ana C. Reyes at a listening to on the federal courthouse in Washington. He may even must pay a $5,000 high-quality.
