Tax Notes Quotes Carolyn Schenck on Recent Changes in IRS Leadership

Guy Ficco’s retirement as IRS Criminal Investigation division chief is among several notable leadership and executive changes announced days before the beginning of the 2026 filing season.

A January 20 memo from IRS CEO Frank Bisignano noted that acting IRS Chief Tax Compliance Officer Jarod Koopman would take over CI, with Gary Shapley continuing as deputy chief.

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Former IRS National Fraud Counsel Carolyn A. Schenck, now with Caplin & Drysdale, told Tax Notes that Ficco has had a remarkable career at CI, including tough tax shelter prosecutions and “leading the division with unflinching integrity.”

Schenck added that she worked with Koopman for years and has “seen firsthand his integrity, steadiness, and commitment to thoughtful, lawful enforcement.” She praised his combination of professionalism and grit, adding that she thought no one would be better suited to providing leadership for CI through “some of the most challenging, high-stakes cases in government.”

To read the article in full, please visit Tax Notes’ website.