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March 22, 2014 at 09:11 AM
The IRS Criminal Investigation unit significantly increased enforcement actions against tax criminals and saw a robust rise in convictions, including identity theft, in FY 2013, according to its annual report.
CI investigates potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes.
CI chief Richard Weber wrote in the annual report that his group had continued to be challenged by declining resources in the last fiscal year. “Our staffing of special agents and professional staff were at the lowest in years, and budget constraints curtailed our official travel and training.”
As of Sept. 30, CI had 2,541 Special Agents on board, down 5.4% from the number of special agents at the conclusion of FY 2012, and down from 2,771 in FY 2009. Professional staff assigned at the conclusion of FY 2013 was 1,083, a 3.6% decrease from the end of FY 2012.
“However, we still remained a strong organization—working complex and sensitive investigations where we have the advantage of strong financial expertise,” Weber said.
Weber reported that CI initiated 5,314 multifaceted investigations in total; completed 5,557, a 12.5% increase over FY 2012; recommended upward of 4,364 for prosecution, 18% more than in FY 2012; and supported prosecutors as they indicted nearly 3,800 individuals and convicted 93% of the cases closed last year.
The conviction rate represented an increase over 2011 and 2012, he said.
