IRS Criminal Investigation Support for CPAs

When a CPA's client comes under IRS criminal investigation, the CPA is in a bind: the client turns to them for help, but the CPA could be compelled to become a government witness against that same client. Sage Investigations solves that. We take on the IRS criminal matter directly, including income tax crimes, money laundering, Form 8300 violations, and structuring, so you keep the client relationship and stay clear of the conflict. Our team includes former IRS Criminal Investigation special agents with more than 50 years of combined experience inside the agency your client is now facing. Call 512-659-3179 or request a free consultation.

The Conflict of Interest CPAs Face

CPAs handle write-ups, tax preparation, audits, consulting, and business valuation, not criminal tax defense. When a client's matter turns criminal, most firms refer it out, and for good reason. If you advise a client through an IRS criminal case, you can be called as a witness against them, which puts your relationship and your professional standing at risk. Referring the case to Sage keeps you out of that position while your client gets specialists who know IRS criminal procedure from the inside.

The IRS Criminal Matters We Handle

Sage specializes in the criminal side of IRS procedure, including:

• Income tax crimes
• Money laundering (18 USC 1956 and 1957)
• Form 8300 violations (26 USC 6050I)
• Structuring (31 USC 5324)

How Sage Helps You and Your Client

Working with Sage lets you:

• Avoid the conflict of interest in an IRS criminal matter
• Give your client an ally who knows how to battle the IRS
• Draw on inside knowledge of IRS Criminal Investigation procedures
• Eliminate surprises through a thorough financial investigation
• Keep your client informed about the status of IRS activity

We provide forensic accounting, consulting, and, when needed, expert witness testimony, all powered by our proprietary DIO technology, which reconciles returns to records and produces evidence-based reports in less than half the time.

What We Do

On each engagement, we will:

• Develop an investigative plan to prove or disprove the allegations
• Develop evidence through interviews, observation, and document and computer preservation
• Identify the responsible parties and the extent of the damage
• Determine internal control weaknesses
• Assess whistleblower collusion where relevant
• Locate and interview former employees
• Prepare clear reports that support sound decisions

We also provide litigation support to the attorneys defending federal and state matters.

Why CPAs Partner with Sage

Our advantage is where we came from. Sage's investigators spent their careers inside the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, so we know exactly how these cases are built and how to take them apart. That inside knowledge, paired with decades of private forensic accounting, is what lets us protect your client and your relationship at the same time.

An Ally Against the IRS

Based in Austin, Sage works with CPAs and their clients across the country. When a matter is bigger than your practice should take on, we're the specialist you can refer to with confidence, and we work closely with tax attorneys when a case calls for legal counsel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would a CPA refer an IRS criminal case to Sage?

Advising a client through a criminal matter can force a CPA into becoming a government witness against that client. Referring the case to Sage removes that conflict while giving your client specialists who understand IRS criminal procedure from the inside.

What kinds of IRS criminal matters does Sage handle?

Income tax crimes, money laundering, Form 8300 violations, and structuring, along with related white-collar, theft, and fraud matters at the state level.

Will I lose my client by referring the case?

No. The point is the opposite: by bringing in Sage for the criminal matter, you protect the relationship and stay clear of the conflict, and your client keeps working with you on everything else.