IRS paid record $125 million to whistleblowers in 2012: report

According to a report just released by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the agency paid a record $125 million to whistleblowers who provide evidence of tax cheating. That sum included a payment of $104 million to a former employee of Swiss bank UBS. The number of new whistleblower submissions to the IRS rose to 332 in fiscal 2012 from 314 the year before. Significantly higher whistleblower awards are expected in 2013 and 2014. The IRS whistleblower program, revamped in 2006, rewards whistleblowers who disclose cases of major tax fraud or underpayment of taxes. The taxpayer is entitled to receive between 15-30% of monies collected from the fraudulent taxpayer. In order to qualify, the amount in dispute must exceed $2 million. Jeffrey Newman represents whistleblowers.