A former consultant to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) pleaded guilty Thursday to leaking tax information about former President Trump and others to news outlets between 2018 and 2020.
According to the Justice Department, Charles Littlejohn, 38, disclosed the tax returns of “thousands of the nation’s wealthiest individuals” to news and tax information organizations linked to a “high-ranking government official” to a second news outlet. Trump was not named in the complaint.
Alina Habba, attorney for former President Donald Trump, center left, Former US President Donald Trump, center, and Chris Kise, attorney for former President Donald Trump, center right, at the New York State Supreme Court in New York, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information.
IRS CONSULTANT CHARGED WITH TAXING TRUMP’S TAX RETURNS AND COUNTRY’S RICHEST INDIVIDUALS IN THE MEDIA
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said Littlejohn “betrayed the public trust” by stealing confidential information.
“By using his role as a government contractor to gain access to private tax information, steal that information, and disclose it to the public, Charles Littlejohn violated federal law and betrayed the public trust,” said Attorney Garland. “In every case, the Department of Justice is committed to following the facts wherever they lead and holding accountable those who violate our laws.”
Former President Donald Trump told the Columbia Journalism Review that he had to combat “unbelievable fake stories” during his presidency. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
The Justice Department said Littlejohn accessed tax returns in an IRS database and saved the tax returns on personal storage devices, including an iPod.
The Justice Department did not identify the two news organizations to which Littlejohn leaked the documents, but told Fox News that the two organizations were the New York Times and Pro Publica, a nonprofit investigative journalism group based in New York City. .
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
He will be sentenced on January 29, 2024, and could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Louis Casiano Jr. contributed. and Fox News’ David Spunt on this report.
