Close

Tax Crimes

Tax crimes attorney in New Jersey representing taxpayers accused of criminal and civil tax code violations.

Few things can be more unnerving than a letter from the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS investigates and prosecutes tax crimes aggressively. People facing criminal charges for tax-related offenses need an attorney who will mount an aggressive defense.

The Criminal Investigation Section of the Internal Revenue Service

The IRS has an entire section that focuses on criminal tax matters. Criminal Investigation or "CI" investigates and prosecutes criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes. Headquartered in Washington, CI has about 4,000 employees worldwide, many of whom are special federal agents whose investigative jurisdiction includes tax, money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act laws. As to money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act violations, CI's jurisdiction overlaps to some extent with that of other federal agencies. However, IRS/CI is the only federal agency that can investigate potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code.

In the United States, compliance with tax laws relies heavily on self-assessments concerning, among other things, the amount of tax that is owed. This is typically referred to as "voluntary compliance". The IRS becomes involved when it believes that individual or business taxpayers have deliberately adopted a course of action that results in the non-payment of taxes. Such taxpayers face the possibility of a civil audit or criminal investigation.

CI prides itself on constantly reminding the taxpaying public that its agents have both the training and resources to review and analyze even the most complex hard copy and/or digital financial records. Given the resources at its disposal, CI is certainly capable of conducting an in-depth forensic analysis of the financial records of any individual or business taxpayer.

IRS/CI Financial Investigations

IRS document investigations involve the seizure and review of a taxpayer's financial records including, but certainly not limited to, bank account records, real estate files, and motor vehicle records. In the most general sense, CI's goal when conducting a financial investigation is to understand how the taxpayer has moved money around. Thus, the purpose of an IRS financial investigation is to determine where money came from, who received it, when was it received, and where it was stored or deposited.

Areas of Focus

Generally speaking, CI divides its activities into three distinct but, at times, overlapping areas:

  • Legal Source Tax Crimes - CI probably devotes the largest amount of its resources to this area. These investigations involve legal industries and occupations, and legally earned income. Violations in this area can include tax evasion, the failure to file tax returns, or filing false tax returns. Crimes frequently investigated in this area include, but are certainly not limited to, employment tax fraud, false claims for tax refunds, unreported or underreported income, concealing assets, and failure to cooperate with an investigation.
  • Illegal Source Financial Crimes - Investigations in this area focus on money obtained through illegal sources such as embezzlement, kickbacks, health care fraud, telemarketing scams, securities fraud, and illegal gambling activities.
  • Narcotics and Counterterrorism Financial Crimes - These investigations focus on drug trafficking and money laundering operations, as well as disrupting funding for terrorist activities.
The Consequences are Real

A finding of guilt in a criminal tax case can result in much more than just payment of back taxes. It can also implicate fines, penalties, interest, and substantial prison sentences. Because so much is at stake, defendants accused of tax crimes must be represented by an experienced New Jersey tax crimes lawyer.

Tax-related prosecutions are extremely serious matters. They can have far-reaching financial consequences, and result in jail time. Taxpayers who are contacted by the IRS in connection with alleged civil or criminal tax violations should speak to a New Jersey tax crimes attorney before responding to any requests for information or documents. If the IRS has contacted you in connection with a civil or criminal tax matter, do not try to talk your way out of it without proper legal representation. Rather, contact us immediately to discuss your options.


Practice Areas
Client Reviews
★★★★★
"I hired Mr. Friedman to represent my son in a criminal matter that could have landed him in jail. Nobody in our family had ever been involved with the criminal justice system before, so this was all very new to us. He was very patient, answered all of our questions, and made sure we understood everything each step of the way. By the time the case was over, my son had a reduced charge for which he only had to pay some fines." Anonymous
★★★★★
"Mr. Friedman represented me when I was one of several students caught with drugs in a college dorm room. I was set to graduate at the end of the semester, and thought this case would ruin my life. He got my charges dismissed, and the record expunged. This lawyer was a total lifesaver!" Anonymous
★★★★★
"Our daughter has mental health issues. She got into a scuffle with the police and was charged with assaulting an officer. Our attorney, Jim Friedman, was able to show the prosecutor and Judge that the real problem here was her mental stability. She was placed on probation and avoided jail time. Most other lawyers we spoke to refused to take this case, but Jim Friedman took it and got us a great result. Thank you Mr. Friedman!" Anonymous
★★★★★
"I had federal criminal charges and felt totally lost. I was one of who knows how many defendants in this case, and I read on the Internet that almost everyone in federal court end up with a prison sentence, so I was really scared. My first lawyer, who told me that I would probably spend at least some time in prison, barely gave me the time of day after I paid him. Then I hired Jim Friedman to represent me. He stayed with me throughout the entire process. He was always available to answer my questions, and never let me lose hope. He negotiated aggressively with the federal prosecutor and I ended up with a short term of probation. I knew I would get convicted of something, but this lawyer kept me out of jail." Anonymous
★★★★★
"The only part of my trial that was better than watching Mr. Friedman question the witnesses was when the jury came out and said “not guilty” over and over again. You have to see this lawyer in court!" Anonymous
Contact Us