While President Joe Biden’s IRS claimed that about 70,000 taxpayers were impacted by the data leak scandal exposed during his administration, the actual number is nearly six times higher, analysis by a Treasury inspector general and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reported Tuesday reveal.
“#BREAKING,” House Judiciary Committee Republicans announced Tuesday in a social media post reporting that the findings confirm suspicions that the Biden Administration had misled the American public by grossly underestimating the number of taxpayers violated by the breach.
“This is a MASSIVE scandal,” the X.com post declares:
“New disclosure reveals that the Biden IRS leaked taxpayer information of over 405,000 Americans -- including President Trump's. The IRS’s admission confirms the Committee’s suspicion and recent reports that show the scope of the leak was much broader than what the Biden Administration’s IRS initially led the public to believe. In May 2024, an IRS spokesman stated that ‘[m]ore than 70,000’ taxpayers were affected. We found out that it's actually over 405,000 taxpayers! This is a MASSIVE scandal.
“@Jim_Jordan first launched his inquiry into these leaks last year. Getting answers for the American people!“
The actual number cited in the supporting document included in the post – 405,427 taxpayers – is 5.8 times higher than the 70,000 estimate reported by the Biden Administration:
“Relying on data analysis by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the IRS, the IRS mailed notifications to 405,427 taxpayers whose taxpayer information was inappropriately disclosed by Mr. Littlejohn. Approximately 89% of the taxpayers are business entities.”
Last June, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) wrote to Acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Heather Hill voicing skepticism of the 70,000 estimate and requesting additional documentation:
“Recent developments, however, indicate that the ramifications of Mr. Littlejohn’s unprecedented leak of protected taxpayer information is much broader than the Justice Department or the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) have disclosed. Accordingly, we request that you produce relevant documents about your investigation into Mr. Littlejohn.”
On January 29, 2024, former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn was sentenced to five years in prison for disclosing taxpayers’ private return information to news organizations.