WASHINGTON — A former IRS contractor admitted in federal court Thursday that he stole tax records belonging to Donald Trump and thousands of other wealthy individuals in 2019 and 2020 before leaking them to the press.
Charles Littlejohn, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of disclosure of tax return and return information during a brief hearing in Washington, D.C. The felony charge carries a five year maximum sentence, but Littlejohn is expected to face between eight and 14 months in prison, according to prosecutors’ estimate of the sentencing guidelines.
Littlejohn, who’s free on bail, appeared in court wearing a suit and tie and gave brief responses to questions posed by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes.
“Donald J. Trump,” Littlejohn said when asked to confirm the identity of the “high ranking government official” whose tax records he was charged with leaking.
Littlejohn confirmed to the judge that he leaked Trump’s records to The New York Times and had leaked the tax records of thousands of wealthy individuals to ProPublica.
The Times published exclusive reporting on Trump’s tax returns in 2020 showing that he had paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, ProPublica published reporting based on a trove of IRS data showing how billionaires such as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk avoided paying federal income taxes.
Prosecutors said in court filings that Littlejohn provided ProPublica information on “thousands of the nation’s wealthiest people, including returns and return information dating back more than 15 years.”
ProPublica has said it “doesn’t know the identity of the source who provided this trove of information on the taxes paid by the wealthiest Americans” and the Times has previously declined comment on the case.
After accepting Littlejohn’s guilty plea, Reyes said, “I cannot overstate how troubled I am by what occurred.”
“Make no mistake, this was not acceptable,” she added. “And if there’s anyone out there telling you it’s acceptable because the ends justify the means and they think the end is appropriate, they are wrong.”
Trump lawyer Alina Habba was present for the hearing and delivered a victim impact statement on behalf of the former president, calling Littlejohn’s actions an “atrocity.”
“This was an egregious breach by an agent of the IRS who targeted the president of the United States, among others, for political purposes and personal gain,” Habba said.
Littlejohn is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29.