Charles Littlejohn Appeals Five-Year Sentence for Massive IRS Data Leak

The appeal tests not just one contractor’s punishment but the federal government’s resolve to rebuild trust in the tax system's confidentiality.

Charles Littlejohn, the former IRS contractor who leaked the confidential tax data of thousands of wealthy individuals and major corporations, is asking the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to cut his five-year prison sentence.

The appeal, set for oral argument Tuesday, will test whether the district court erred in imposing the statutory maximum despite Littlejohn’s lack of prior offenses. The court’s panel—Judges Neomi Rao, Justin Walker, and Judith Rogers—will weigh how far sentencing discretion can stretch in a case that shook public trust in taxpayer confidentiality.

The Law in Play

At issue is IRC §6103, which bars unauthorized disclosure of tax return information. Littlejohn pled guilty to one count under that statute after admitting he leaked data to The New York Times and ProPublica between 2018 and 2021.

He argues the trial judge overreached by ignoring federal sentencing norms for first-time offenders, where similar cases often yield terms near 18 months.

The Justice Department cou…