Tax Tipsters Getting $74 Million Shows IRS Progress, Lawyers Say
- Three rewarded for helping IRS recover $263 million in taxes
- Agency seeks to streamline award program to spur more claims
The IRS headquarters in Washington, DC.
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Whistleblower lawyers who have long complained that the Internal Revenue Service takes far too long to process tips about tax evasion are billboarding a $74 million payout as a sign of improvement.
Three people shared the award after disclosing an offshore tax-evasion scheme that spanned 15 years, enabling the IRS to collect $263 million from an unidentified individual, according to attorneys for Getnick Law, which helped represent the lead whistleblower. Although it took years to resolve the case, recent policy changes significantly shortened the time it took to pay the whistleblowers, the lawyers said.