Richard Weber, the Chief of I.R.S. - Criminal Investigation issues statement regarding no longer seizing structured funds of otherwise legal source activity.

Richard Weber, the Chief of I.R.S. - Criminal Investigation issues statement regarding no longer seizing structured funds of otherwise licit activity.  This means that 31 U.S.C. 5324 will only be applied on a forward going basis to structuring of non-legal sourced funds.  This does not change the affect the government’s ability to audit and recommend criminal prosecution where structuring is a part of avoiding reporting for income tax purposes.

Here is the full statement:

After a thorough review of our structuring cases over the last year and in order to provide consistency throughout the country (between our field offices and the U.S. attorney offices) regarding our policies, I.R.S.-C.I. [Criminal Investigation] will no longer pursue the seizure and forfeiture of funds associated solely with “legal source” structuring cases unless there are exceptional circumstances justifying the seizure and forfeiture and the case has been approved at the director of field operations (D.F.O.) level. While the act of structuring — whether the funds are from a legal or illegal source — is against the law, I.R.S.-C.I. special agents will use this act as an indicator that further illegal activity may be occurring. This policy update will ensure that C.I. continues to focus our limited investigative resources on identifying and investigating violations within our jurisdiction that closely align with C.I.'s mission and key priorities. The policy involving seizure and forfeiture in “illegal source” structuring cases will remain the same.