by Brian Mahany
They say the devil is always in the details and that certainly applies to much of the recent financial reform legislation coming from Capitol Hill these days. Jilted lovers and disgruntled employees have reported billions of dollars of unpaid taxes since the IRS revamped it’s whistleblower program. Why have they done so? Congress …
Tag Archives: criminal defense
Business Owners Beware - Here Comes Another Whistleblower Program
When It Comes To Banking, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Is The Best Policy (offshore accounts)
by Brian Mahany
Government tax authorities asking banks and credit card companies for information on foreign account holders is hardly news these days. The I.R.S. does it, so do Germany, Britain and many other countries. Officials want to know when their citizens transfer wealth overseas or open foreign accounts. Generally the practice is legal if the …
IRS Criminal Division Announces 2010 Investigation Targets
The IRS has announced its Criminal Investigation Annual Business Plan for FY2010. This year’s plan is part of the IRS’ larger 5 year strategic plan for 2009 - 2013. Those of us who are baby boomers remember the then Soviet Union’s “5 year plans.” Like the IRS strategic plan, those plans were big on …
Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force - Same Ole, Same Ole?
by Brian Mahany
In many ways, the United States government is more about public relations and propaganda and less about action. Take the recent press event in November announcing the creation of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.
Facing rising public and political pressure in the aftermath of the last year’s financial meltdown, President Obama signed an …
From Tough On Crime To Tough On Spending? It Appears So.
by Brian Mahany
A new look at mandatory sentences? The answer is yes! A provision in a defense spending bill requires the United States Sentencing Commission to review mandatory prison sentences.
As a former lobbyist and Special Counsel to the Senate President, I know the real stories are often buried deep inside of legislation. We have become …
When Laws Become So Complex (or name a document longer than War & Peace)
by Brian Mahany
Just about everyone has an opinion on President Obama’s health care legislation. Some say it will bankrupt our nation. Others say the health care plan is badly needed. Whatever your opinion on the substance of the bill, I say that 99.9999% of Americans have not even read the bill. Unfortunately, the only …
There is a New Sheriff in Town. Make that 50 New Sheriffs.
by Brian Mahany
The U.S. Census Bureau does more than count people every 10 years, they also track state tax collections. And the most recent figures for the second quarter of 2009 shows that on average, state and local tax collections were down 12.2% compared to the same quarter last year. More ominously, this is the …
The Noose Tightens
The IRS announced it is reassigning many of its auditors from the corporate tax audits to a new office created within the Service’s Large and Mid-size Business Division. The mission of the new office? To seek out wealthy tax evaders and those with unreported offshore accounts.
It’s not just a reassignment of existing staff either. IRS …