The US Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a case challenging the IRS’ unlimited time period to impose penalties on taxpayers when their tax preparers commit fraud.
The court’s decision to decline Stephanie Murrin’s case allows a Third Circuit ruling against her to stand. Murrin’s tax preparer filed fraudulent returns on her behalf in the 1990s but wasn’t audited until 2019. She argued the IRS shouldn’t have an unlimited amount of time to investigate tax fraud when the fraud is committed by a third party.
Murrin also argued this case created a circuit split because the Federal Circuit came down …
These frauds exploit emotional vulnerability and trust rather than technical weaknesses.
- Romance Scams: Scammers build long-term online relationships with victims, eventually fabricating a “crisis” (medical emergency, legal trouble, or travel costs) that requires the victim to send money.
- Pig Butchering: A hybrid scam where the criminal builds a romantic or platonic relationship to eventually “tutor” the victim in a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment.