Who is Charles Edward Littlejohn? IRS contractor charged with stealing Donald Trump’s tax returns

federal prosecutors have unveiled charges against a former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) contractor, 38-year-old Charles Edward Littlejohn, for allegedly stealing tax returns belonging to a high-ranking government official. While the official’s identity remains undisclosed in court documents, a reliable source has confirmed to CNN that the targeted individual is none other than former President Donald Trump.

Although the court documents refrain from explicitly naming the official, the source familiar with the investigation left no room for doubt that the tax returns in question indeed belonged to Donald Trump.

The allegations against Littlejohn extend beyond the former president’s tax records. He is accused of swiping IRS data related to “thousands of the nation’s wealthiest people,” encompassing returns and return information spanning over 15 years. Shockingly, Littlejohn transmitted this sensitive tax information to an unspecified second news organization.

The repercussions of his actions were far-reaching. Both of the involved news organizations published numerous articles that delved into the tax information provided by Littlejohn, exposing the financial affairs of high-profile individuals.

The New York Times and ProPublica are known to have published articles based on tax records of former President Trump and other affluent Americans around the same period—2020 and 2021, respectively. It’s worth noting that court records refrain from directly identifying these news outlets, and they have not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Littlejohn now faces one count of unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to five years if he is found guilty. As of now, no response has been received from his legal representation regarding the charges.

In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for ProPublica made it clear that they remain unaware of the identity of the source responsible for providing the extensive trove of information regarding the tax payments of the wealthiest Americans, distancing the organization from any involvement in the theft of tax records.

Who is Charles Edward Littlejohn?

Charles Edward Littlejohn, a former IRS contractor, has been thrust into the spotlight due to the serious charges against him. Littlejohn’s alleged involvement in the theft of tax returns and return information belonging to high-profile individuals, including former President Donald Trump, has garnered significant attention.

Littlejohn served as an IRS contractor from 2018 to 2020, as indicated by court records. During his tenure, he purportedly committed the audacious act of pilfering “tax returns and return information associated with Public Official A” and subsequently divulging this confidential information to a news organization.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the public will undoubtedly learn more about the individual at the center of this unprecedented case and the motivations behind his actions.