A former contractor for the Internal Revenue Service, Charles Littlejohn, has entered a guilty plea to charges of stealing confidential tax return data. The stolen data includes information about former President Donald Trump and several other wealthy Americans. According to court findings, Littlejohn leaked this sensitive material to two different media outlets.
The disclosure did not take place overnight, but rather spanned over a year, from August 2019 to November 2020. At 38, Littlejohn is facing significant criminal charges for his actions. While the charge to which he pleaded guilty could see him facing up to five years in prison, the plea deal’s terms may limit his incarceration to a range of eight to 14 months.
Littlejohn’s case signals a critical new crack in the security of IRS data. The case raises important questions about how the U.S. revenue service will prevent future breaches, and what steps it is taking to protect sensitive taxpayer data – vital questions for both the taxpayer and the policy maker.
Countless Americans trust the IRS with some of their most sensitive information. The potential for harm can be significant if this trust is violated, as in the case of Littlejohn, especially when that trust is breached by an inside agent.
Read more about the case here .