Carolyn Schenck Explores How Tax Cases Turn Criminal on California Lawyers Association Women in Tax Webinar 

Not every audit stays civil. Meet Carolyn Schenck, former National Fraud Counsel and Senior Level Counsel (Offshore), who will break down how and why the IRS decides a case has crossed the fraud line—and what happens next. She will walk through the life cycle of an IRS Criminal Investigation, from early red flags and parallel civil proceedings to interviews, subpoenas, and charging decisions. Drawing on real-world experience, the discussion will explain what actually triggers a referral to IRS-CI, how cases are built behind the scenes, and the investigative techniques agents use long before anyone is indicted. She will also cover what to do—and what not to do—when there is a knock on the door, including how early decisions can define the trajectory of a case. This is Fraud 101 for real life: practical guidance, concrete examples, and lessons from the front lines of federal tax enforcement.