Individual accused of leaking tax returns belonging to Donald Trump faces legal charges

An individual in the US has been accused of leaking the tax returns of a "high-ranking government official" believed to be Donald Trump. Charles Littlejohn, a contractor for the IRS, allegedly stole the information and provided it to a news organization. He is also charged with stealing tax return data from thousands of the wealthiest individuals in the country. The Department of Justice claims that two news outlets received this information and subsequently published numerous articles based on it. The government official, according to a source, is confirmed to be former president Donald Trump. The New York Times reportedly received information about Trump's tax returns, while ProPublica acquired details about other individuals. Both news organizations have not been charged with any wrongdoing. Littlejohn, found to have worked for an unnamed consultancy under the US Department of the Treasury's IRS, is alleged to have stolen tax returns and return information during his employment. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison. There has been no public comment from Trump regarding these allegations. The leaked information was previously used in a 2020 article by The New York Times, which claimed that Trump only paid $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and during his initial year in the White House. The article also suggested that he avoided paying income taxes in 10 of the last 15 years, revealing a pattern of chronic losses and tax avoidance.