Accountant awarded $4.5 million in IRS whistle-blower case

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

An accountant who tipped off the Internal Revenue Service that his employer was skimping on taxes has received $4.5 million in the first IRS whistle-blower award.

The accountant's tip netted the IRS $20 million in taxes and interest from the errant financial-services firm.

The award represents a 22 percent cut of the taxes recovered. The program, designed to encourage tips in large-scale cases, mandates awards of 15 to 30 percent of the amount recouped.

... The Whistleblower Office received nearly 1,000 tips involving more than 3,000 taxpayers in fiscal years 2008 and 2009, according to its annual reports to Congress. Hundreds of them alleged tax underpayments of more than $10 million, and dozens more underpayments of $100 million or more.

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014725832_irsreward09.html

[joshcryer]

1. Nice!

[Scuba]

2. Nice that he wasn't prosecuted. n/t