IRS Criminal Tax Bulletin Highlights Recent Rulings

The IRS Nov. 18 posted to its website an issue of the Criminal Tax Bulletin, published by the Criminal Tax Division of the Office of Chief Counsel, which summarizes notable federal appellate rulings addressing criminal issues between April and September 2011.

Among the decisions summarized in the bulletin were the 9th Circuit's rulings that the Fifth Amendment Privilege Is Inapplicable to Subpoena for Foreign Bank Records.

 

In re Grand Jury Investigation M.H. v. United States, 648 F.3d 1067 (9th Cir. 2011), the Ninth Circuit held that foreign bank account records required to be kept under the Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) fall within the Required Records Doctrine, thus rendering the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination inapplicable to a subpoena for these records.