IRS Contractor Leaked Data of Over 400,000 Taxpayers

An IRS contractor, Charles Littlejohn, has been sentenced to five years in prison for leaking tax return information of over 405,000 taxpayers, including President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The IRS revealed that this number is significantly higher than the previously reported 70,000, with approximately 89% of the affected individuals being business entities. Littlejohn accessed the tax records between 2019 and 2020 and disclosed them to media outlets, leading to the publication of multiple articles based on the stolen data. The House Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan, has raised concerns over the Department of Justice's handling of the case, questioning the leniency in prosecuting Littlejohn for what they deem a politically motivated decision. The IRS has since informed all impacted taxpayers and is implementing measures to enhance data security. Acting IRS Commissioner Doug O'Donnell confirmed that additional notifications may still be necessary as the agency continues its reconciliation work.