IRS Investigator Sues Agency Over 24-Year Veteran's Alleged Retaliatory Records Leak
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 7
IRS Investigator Sues Agency Over 24-Year Veteran's Alleged Retaliatory Records Leak
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 7
Summary
Brian J. Visalli sued the IRS in federal court in Illinois, alleging the agency illegally shared his confidential personnel and tax records with Justice Department prosecutors to punish his whistle-blowing.
Visalli says the leak was tied to relatively minor errors in his own tax return and was meant to discredit and fire him after years of criticizing the IRS's handling of tax dodging.
A 24-year IRS veteran focused on offshore tax shelters, he helped produce inspector general reports on agency conflicts and failures to pursue advisers behind aggressive tax strategies.
His work included scrutiny of Malta pension plans used by wealthy Americans, while his recent Tax Notes articles accused the IRS of "institutional cowardice" for not using a 2010 anti-abuse law more aggressively.