I feel really bad for all the people who looked though that one tub that had George's tax returns in it because whoever did, committed a federal crime. A federal felony.
AC asked MS. Evesledge (I think is the way you spell her name) of the BCI if she had examined every document in one particular plastic tub. Her reply was yes she had, and also that she had taken it back to their headquarters where more BCI agents looked though that plastic tub.
On cross Parker asked her did you look at every document in this tub? Once again she said yes. Then he started pulling out tax returns for I think three years of returns for George and two for George and Tabitha. Then he told her to read the privacy and confidentially warning from the cover sheet of the accounting firm.
We all have that law on our cover sheets to inform the taxpayer and warn anyone who might accidently get hold of someone else's tax return. It says it is a federal crime to view, without taxpayers permission, any tax return belonging to that taxpayer under penalty of federal law.
I have been a CPA and owned my own firm doing accounting and taxes for right at 50 years now. There is a very strict privacy and confidentiality law concerning taxpayers federal tax returns as most of you may have guessed by witnessing how hard it is for anyone, even the US Congress to get copies of the former POTUS tax returns. They have been fighting for years trying to get his tax returns, the AG of NY finally resorted to getting his NEW YORK STATE tax returns. I put that in capital letters so it would stand out they could only get his state tax returns.
There is a very good reason for that. The only people allowed to view a taxpayers return are
1. The taxpayer who's name is on that return.
2. The CPA or tax preparer or tax attorney who is licensed to defend you against the IRS or an EA who prepared that return for the taxpayer and who must sign that tax return and put a CPA license number, a CAF number or a license number issued by the IRS on that return called a PTIN number. If it is filed electronically by anyone other than the taxpayer (taxpayers can file their returns by themselves electronically on sites like TurboTax) then it must also have an ERO number in addition to the preparers signature.
3. The IRS who can view a limited transcript after they have established a legal basis for an audit of that tax return. Even then they must list out separately each tax year they intend to audit and notify you of said audit by U.S.P.S. mail.
4. The DOJ if the IRS suspects a criminal activity pertaining to filing a fraudulent tax return.
5. The Social Security Administration.
That's it folks. No one else can view your tax returns without your express permission for ANY reason. Not even the BCI in the murders of 8 people. You must sign a form 4506 to give a bank or finance/mortgage company permission to request your tax return for a loan. You can also sign a 2848 Power Of Attorney to allow a representative to handle your taxes if you are unable to do so.
The fine for a tax preparer releasing a tax return without permission is 1000.00 and 1 year in prison plus court costs PER return.
It is a FEDERAL crime to view a taxpayers return without their permission. In order for the BCI to view Georges tax returns they must first get a subpoena signed by a federal judge in a federal court.
No state agency such as the BCI can look through George's tax returns without his permission or a federal court subpoena signed by a federal judge. Not even the FBI, DEA, ATF, DHS, CIA, Congress, POTUS (well you get the drift) can view your tax return without your permission or a federal Subpoena. If they do so, they commit a federal crime, a felony prosecuted in a federal, not state, court.
So that is why MS. Evesledge had that funny look on her face when Parker asked her if she viewed every document in that tub and she answered yes under oath, in a court of law and then he started pulling out George's tax returns and asked her to read the warning on the cover sheet of the accounting firm. Ms. Evesledge committed a federal crime times however many years of returns she viewed. I noticed AC get very nervous then when she came back after cross and stuck some stickers on some papers her hands were shaking. I bet she viewed them also without George's permission. AC should have known better and BCI especially should have.
I also bet Parker or Nash is on the phone and following up with a letter to the IRS right now. lol.
As an aside the taxpayer can give their tax return to anyone they want to or even publish it in the newspaper. on social media or TV or pass it out to the entire city they live in or give it to LE. But LE looking at it without permission or a federal subpoena is a HUGE no-no.
JMO
