Man who stole and leaked Trump tax records sentenced to 5 years in prison

The_Waco_Kid's Avatar
was that Trump tax returns nothingburger worth 5 yeas? and poor Rachel Madcow thought she had the scoop of the decade ...

bahahahahhaaaa


Man who stole and leaked Trump tax records sentenced to 5 years in prison

https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-stole...171104743.html


Holmes Lybrand, CNN
Mon, January 29, 2024 at 11:11 AM CSTˇ2 min read


The man who stole and leaked former President Donald Trump and thousands of other’s tax records has been sentenced to five years in prison.


In October, Charles Littlejohn, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized disclosures of income tax returns. According to his plea agreement, he stole Trump’s tax returns along with the tax data of “thousands of the nation’s wealthiest people,” while working for a consulting firm with contracts with the Internal Revenue Service.


Littlejohn leaked the information to two news outlets and deleted the documents from his IRS-assigned laptop before returning it and covered the rest of his digital tracks by deleting places where he initially stored the information.


Judge Ana Reyes highlighted the gravity of the crime, saying multiple times that it amounted to an attack against the US and its legal foundation.


“What you did in attacking the sitting president of the United States was an attack on our constitutional democracy,” Reyes said. “We’re talking about someone who … pulled off the biggest heist in IRS history.”


The judge compared Littlejohn’s actions to those of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, noting that, “your actions were also a threat to our democracy.”


“It engenders the same fear that January 6 does,” Reyes added.
Prosecutors said Littlejohn went through great lengths to steal the tax records undetected, exploiting system loopholes, downloading data to an Apple iPod and uploading the information on a private website he later deleted.


Reyes was also critical of the Justice Department’s decision to only bring one count against Littlejohn.


“The fact that he did what he did and he’s facing one felony count, I have no words for,” the judge said. Prosecutors argued that the one count covers the multitude of Littlejohn’s thefts and leaks.


“A free press and public engagement with the media are critical to any healthy democracy, but stealing and leaking private, personal tax information strips individuals of the legal protection of their most sensitive data,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing recommending Littlejohn be sentenced to the maximum of five years in prison.


“I acted out of a sincere misguided belief,” Littlejohn said in court Monday, adding that he was serving the country and that people had a right to the tax information.


“We as a country make the best decisions when we are all properly informed,” Littlejohn said.


Littlejohn added that he was “aware of the potential consequences” of his actions and knew he would one day be here, in federal court, facing those consequences.


“My actions undermine the fragile faith,” in government institutions in the US, Littlejohn said.
Lucas McCain's Avatar
He deserved to serve at least that and maybe more time. He got off easy IMO. Dude violated so many codes of ethics that you learn in accounting that he's lucky he only has to serve 5 years (probably just half of that with good behavior).
The_Waco_Kid's Avatar
He deserved to serve at least that and maybe more time. He got off easy IMO. Dude violated so many codes of ethics that you learn in accounting that he's lucky he only has to serve 5 years (probably just half of that with good behavior). Originally Posted by Lucas McCain

considering it wasn't just Trump but also “thousands of the nation’s wealthiest people” who had their data stolen you are probably right, he got lucky to be allowed to plea to a "max" of 5 years meaning he'll probably only do 4 years. while he only passed Trump's data to the press he still stole thousands of other's data and could have done the same to them.


i presume the man had no prior record so that does factor in to it for prosecutors but considering the judge claimed he "pulled off the biggest heist in IRS history.” 5 years does seem like a slap on the wrist.


and his career in any accounting/financial sector is over.
... Surely agree with You and Lucas there, mate.

Australian bloke named Baretta Dundee used to 'ave a saying:
"You don't wanna do the crime if ya can't do the prison-time"...

#### Salty
eyecu2's Avatar
Australian bloke named Baretta Dundee used to 'ave a saying:
"You don't wanna do the crime if ya can't do the prison-time"... Originally Posted by SaltyAgain
Funny since Australia was a penal colony destination for brits., so i'm assuming that saying is written in aboriginal cave there somewhere. JK-snick
Australian bloke named Baretta Dundee used to 'ave a saying:
"You don't wanna do the crime if ya can't do the prison-time"... Originally Posted by SaltyAgain
Funny since Australia was a penal colony destination for brits., so i'm assuming that saying is written in aboriginal cave there somewhere. JK-snick Originally Posted by eyecu2
... Hmmmmm... Ya know, that could very-well be, mate!

... Surely looks like the Judge "threw the book" at the
bloke and hit him with it. ... No doubt as a deterrent
to others in the IRS from revealing more tax info.

#### Salty