Carolyn Schenck Weighs in on Leadership Changes at IRS in Bloomberg Law

The line between tax auditors policing mere civil infractions versus serious tax crimes is blurring in the latest reorganization at the top of the IRS.

Jarod Koopman, a longtime and respected criminal investigator, took over the top job for compliance at the IRS in October. Under the shake-up announced Tuesday, he’ll also oversee the IRS’s criminal investigation unit.

The reshuffling at the top of the IRS tightens CEO Frank Bisignano’s grip on the agency with more leaders reporting directly to him. Bisignano, who also will co-lead the compliance office with Koopman, is also the commissioner of the Social Security Administration, and now oversees more than 120,000 federal workers.

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The IRS still likely will remain cautious and continue the “longstanding respect” and lines between civil and criminal, said Carolyn Schenck, a Caplin & Drysdale Member and former IRS fraud counsel.

Koopman in dual roles also may give the IRS a well-rounded enforcement and resource-need perspective, she said. He will take over for the current criminal division head Guy Ficco, who is retiring with his last day sometime before March 31.

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