The former consultant Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service on Thursday pleaded guilty to leaking tax information about former President Trump and others to the media from 2018 to 2020.
according to Ministry of Justice, Charles Littlejohn, 38, released tax returns for “thousands of the nation’s wealthiest individuals” to the press and released tax information related to “high-ranking government officials” to a second news outlet. did.Trump’s name is not mentioned. amid complaints.
Former President Donald Trump’s lawyer Alina Haba (center left), former President Donald Trump’s lawyer (center), and former President Donald Trump’s lawyer Chris Kiss (center right) at the New York State Supreme Court. Wednesday, October 4, 2023. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of fraudulent disclosure of tax returns and tax return information.
IRS consultant charged with releasing tax returns of Trump and the nation’s ‘wealthiest individuals’ to media
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said Littlejohn stole classified information and “betrayed the public’s trust.”
“Charles Littlejohn violated federal law and betrayed the public’s trust by using his role as a government contractor to access personal tax information, steal that information, and publicly release it,” Garland said. ” he said. “In all cases, the Department of Justice is committed to pursuing the facts and holding accountable those who violate our laws.”
Former President Donald Trump told the Columbia Journalism Review that he had to contend with “unbelievable fabrications” during his time in office. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
The Justice Department said Littlejohn accessed tax returns on the IRS database and saved them on personal storage devices such as iPods.
The Justice Department has not identified the two news organizations to which Mr. Littlejohn leaked the documents, but Fox News said the two organizations are the New York Times and ProPublica, a New York City-based nonprofit investigative journalism group. I was told that there is.
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He will be sentenced on January 29, 2024, and could face up to five years in prison.
FOX News’ Luis Casiano Jr. and David Spant contributed to this report.
