According to a new report published by the IRS’ Inspector General, the agency has a huge problem with workers snooping on taxpayers. If you thought the IRS was bad enough, the inspector general seemed to suggest that employees are accessing secret information from taxpayers in violation of the law – and even worse, prosecutors aren’t interesting in taking action against those who do it.
According to the report by investigators from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, more than 600 cases of employees gaining unauthorized access to tax filings were found between 2018 and the middle of 2023. According to the same report, out of the 648 total cases, only six ended up with criminal charges being filed against those responsible.
That’s a tiny minority of people being sentenced after committing a crime – less than 1%, in fact.
Why Weren’t They Charged?
According to the report, the agency had an explanation in most or all cases for why they did not pursue charges. The report, which was published last Friday, also described how the agency had provided information about why workers looked at the tax returns, as well as how big each breach was. Each case was discovered thanks to a software system designed to identify relevant authorities in the case that a worker access files that they shouldn’t. Each case is known as a “UNAX,” or an “Unauthorized Access” of taxpayer records.
The UNAX program allows software to identify cases where workers access files, which is then turned over to the inspector general who analyzes how many breaches there were. According to the inspector general, the program is designed to ensure that unauthorized access is “punishable upon conviction by fines, imprisonment and termination of employment.”
The problem is allegedly getting bigger, too. In 2020, there were 115 cases – but that figure rose to 125 by July of last year.
What do you think – should we be seeing more prosecutions?
