DOJ unveils nationwide tax fraud crackdown involving 76 defendants, nearly $500M in alleged losses

What happened: The DOJ announced a nationwide tax fraud crackdown involving 76 defendants and new charges against 31 individuals, coordinated across 35 U.S. attorneys' offices and IRS criminal investigators over about six weeks. Key numbers: More than $490 million in estimated intended tax losses. Why it matters: IRS CI chief Jarod Koopman called it a new enforcement strategy and said similar crackdowns would follow. DOJ is building an asset forfeiture and recovery team, and gave no total recovery figure.

The DOJ announced a nationwide tax fraud crackdown involving 76 defendants and new charges against 31 individuals, coordinated across 35 U.S. attorneys' offices and IRS criminal investigators over about six weeks.

IRS CI chief Jarod Koopman called it a new enforcement strategy and said similar crackdowns would follow. DOJ is building an asset forfeiture and recovery team, and gave no total recovery figure.