Booz Allen’s IRS Contract Following Leaking Incident Prompts Fresh Concern on Security
By Paul Sperry for RealClearInvestigations
The Internal Revenue Service has recently come under fire after awarding a substantial contract to Booz Allen Hamilton, the same firm previously linked to a cyber-thief responsible for stealing and leaking private tax returns of influential figures, including former President Trump. According to records reviewed by RealClearInvestigations, the same firm employed Charles “Chaz” Littlejohn, the man who recently pleaded guilty to the theft of personal tax records.
The incident occurred in 2018, when Littlejohn, who was working on an IRS contract for Booz Allen at the time, stole over two decades of Trump’s tax records from IRS databases. This information was later leaked to the New York Times, who subsequently published negative stories about Trump’s tax history prior to the 2020 election, which Trump lost narrowly.
In a separate episode, following the election, Littlejohn also leaked sensitive IRS data pertaining to individuals such as Elon Musk and Michael Bloomberg to ProPublica, who used the information to write a series addressing tax avoidance by the wealthy. This series was referenced by congressional Democrats in their efforts to push for higher taxes on the affluent.
Littlejohn, who is a Democratic donor, reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors, in which he admitted to disclosing tax information without authorization. Despite facing a maximum sentence of five years, the plea deal calls for an estimated range of eight to 14 months when he is due to be sentenced on Jan. 29.
Booz Allen Hamilton, being the most profitable government contractor in the world, has been associated with prominent Democrats over the years, including former employee James Clapper who served as President Obama’s intelligence czar. At least two Obama administration alumni sit on the company’s board. Additionally, in the 2020 election cycle, federal records indicate that Booz Allen contributed significantly more to Joe Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee compared to their Republican counterparts.
The decision to award Booz Allen with a substantial IRS contract has sparked concerns regarding the firm’s ability to protect sensitive government information. Several high-profile instances, including the employment of Edward Snowden by Booz Allen, which led to the exposure of thousands of top-secret documents from the National Security Agency, have called into question the company’s track record in safeguarding confidential data.
Despite these controversies, the IRS has entrusted Booz Allen to assist in the modernization of its computer systems. In late June, the IRS awarded the company part of a multibillion-dollar contract to update its databases, which involves consolidating roughly 400 different systems into a new, cloud-based architecture. The IRS did not respond to requests for comment about Booz Allen.
The Treasury Department’s inspector general is “still investigating” the case, according to a Department of Justice press release. Prosecutors have not offered a motive for Littlejohn’s crime. If they know why he leaked Trump’s tax information to the media, they’re not saying.
It is evident that the incident involving Littlejohn has raised fresh concerns about the security of the IRS’ data. The decision to award Booz Allen with such a substantial contract is likely to face further scrutiny, particularly given the company’s history and the potential risks associated with its involvement in the modernization of the IRS’ computer systems.
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