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| Office of Investigations (OI) |
• Welcome
• Investigative Program
Welcome to the Investigations Homepage
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) was established under the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 to provide independent oversight of IRS activities. Through its investigative programs, TIGTA addresses threats arising from lapses in IRS employee integrity, violence directed against the IRS, and external attempts to corruptly interfere with federal tax administration.
TIGTA protects the Department of Treasury's ability to collect revenue owed to the Federal Government. In order to achieve this, TIGTA's Office of Investigations (OI) administers investigative programs that protect the integrity of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and detect and prevent fraud and other misconduct within IRS programs. This includes investigating allegations of criminal violations and administrative misconduct by IRS employees, as well as protecting IRS against external attempts to corrupt or threaten its employees.
TIGTA's oversight extends to the IRS, IRS Chief Counsel and the IRS Oversight Board. TIGTA serves as an independent voice reporting directly to the Treasury Secretary and Congress.
Investigative Program
TIGTA OI conducts a comprehensive investigative program. OI's investigative program focuses on three primary areas of concern: employee integrity; employee and infrastructure security; and external attempts to corrupt tax administration. Each of these three areas is subdivided into three categories, all designed to support the agency's law enforcement goals. OI's strategy for ensuring employee integrity, employee and infrastructure security, and protecting the IRS against external attempts to corrupt tax administration is to position TIGTA special agents throughout the U.S. who are focused on high-impact investigations that protect the ability of the IRS to collect the nation's tax revenue.
Employee Integrity
IRS employee misconduct undermines the IRS' ability to improve taxpayer customer service and effectively enforce tax laws and collect taxes owed. TIGTA investigates employee misconduct allegations including extortion, bribery, theft, taxpayer abuses, false statements, and financial fraud, as well as contractor misconduct and fraud.
Employee and Infrastructure Security
TIGTA is statutorily required to protect tax administration because of the critical role the IRS plays in collecting nearly 2 trillion dollars in revenue for the U.S. government. This unique statutory mandate sets it apart from other federal Offices of Inspector General. As such, TIGTA must help protect the IRS's ability to collect tax revenue by ensuring IRS employee safety and infrastructure security.
External Attempts to Corrupt Tax Administration
TIGTA is dedicated to investigating external attempts to corrupt or interfere with the administration of Internal Revenue laws. External attempts to corrupt tax administration include bribes offered by taxpayers to compromise IRS employees; the manipulation of IRS systems and programs through the use of bogus liens and IRS financial reporting instruments; the use of fraudulent IRS documentation; and impersonation of IRS officials. External attempts to corrupt tax administration inhibit the Treasury's ability to collect revenue and undermine the public's confidence in fair and effective tax administration - the two key facets of the IRS Strategic Plan.
View the Performance Model.
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