Raw: [Man charged with leaking Donald Trump tax returns BBC] {Article Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66968025}
BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountHomeNewsSportReelWorklifeTravelFutureMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportReelWorklifeTravelFutureCultureMusicTVWeatherSoundsClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeWar in UkraineClimateVideoWorldUS & CanadaUKBusinessTechScienceMoreEntertainment & ArtsHealthIn PicturesBBC VerifyWorld News TVNewsbeatUS & CanadaMan charged with leaking Donald Trump tax returnsPublished3 days agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersBy Alex BinleyBBC NewsA man in the US has been charged with leaking the tax returns of a “high-ranking government official” who is understood to be Donald Trump.Prosecutors said Charles Littlejohn, a contractor for the IRS – the US-wide tax body – stole the information and passed it on to a news organisation.He is also accused of stealing tax return information of “thousands” of the US's “wealthiest individuals”.The Department of Justice alleges this data was given to another outlet.Court documents say the two news organisations published “numerous articles” based on this information. Neither have been charged with any wrongdoing.Although the court documents do not name the government official, a source has confirmed to the BBC's partner in the US, CBS News, that it is former president Donald Trump. The same person also said that the news organisation which received information about Mr Trump's tax returns was The New York Times, while the second, which received information about other individuals was the ProPublica website.The New York Times declined to comment to CBS News about the claims, while ProPublica said in a statement to the outlet: “We have no comment on today's announcement from the DoJ. As we've said previously, ProPublica doesn't know the identity of the source who provided this trove of information on the taxes paid by the wealthiest Americans.”There has been no public comment from Mr Trump.Court documents claim that between 2017 and 2021, Mr Littlejohn worked for an unnamed consultancy which in turn worked on contracts from the US Department of the Treasury's IRS, dealing with tax administration.The papers go on to allege that between 2018 and 2020, while Mr Littlejohn was working on an IRS contract “he stole tax returns and return information”, some of which dated back more than 15 years. The charge against Mr Littlejohn is the unauthorised disclosure of tax returns and return information. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. There has been no public comment from the Washington DC resident. A 2020 article in The New York Times, which is thought to have been based on the leaked information, claimed that Mr Trump paid just $750 (£580) in federal income tax both in 2016, the year he ran for the US presidency, and in his first year in the White House.The newspaper also said that he paid no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years and that the records reveal “chronic losses and years of tax avoidance”.Related TopicsDonald TrumpMore on this storyDonald Trump 'paid $750 in federal income taxes'Published28 September 2020The glitzy New York buildings that Trump could losePublished4 days agoBiggest moments from second Republican debatePublished4 days agoRepublicans step up Trump attacks in second debatePublished5 days agoTop StoriesUS Speaker McCarthy faces historic bid to oust himPublished4 hours agoBurger King still in Russia despite pledge to exitPublished8 hours agoTrump turns up in court to blast 'scam' fraud trialPublished8 hours agoFeaturesMarriage equality eludes Japan's same-sex couplesHow Mike Jeffries used shirtless models to sell AbercrombieThe lives upended by colonial rule in the Middle EastThe ugly street harassment that killed an Indian girlWhy a rare gun charge against Hunter Biden could misfireWhy do people love living in Canada?How a sex abuse ring targeted Gabon's child footballersCrossing the Alps on foot to try to reach the UKWhy shutdowns seem to only happen in USElsewhere on the BBCThe companies paying for workers' holidaysThe dress that shocked the worldA place with air so clean it's bottledMost Read1US Speaker McCarthy faces historic bid to oust him2US state senator and his family die in plane crash3Trump turns up in court to blast 'scam' fraud trial4Fashion boss accused of exploiting men for sex5Burger King still in Russia despite pledge to exit6Democrat accused of pulling fire alarm to delay vote7Fact-checking Trump's claims about NY fraud trial8Greenland women file claim over forced birth control9Delhi police raid homes of prominent journalists10Why a rare gun charge against Hunter Biden could misfireBBC News ServicesOn your mobileOn smart speakersGet news alertsContact BBC NewsHomeNewsSportReelWorklifeTravelFutureCultureMusicTVWeatherSoundsTerms of UseAbout the BBCPrivacy PolicyCookiesAccessibility HelpParental GuidanceContact the BBCGet Personalised NewslettersWhy you can trust the BBCAdvertise with us© 2023 BBC. 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