October 03,2018

Press Contact:

Rachel McCleery (202) 224-4515 

Wyden Calls for IRS to Investigate Allegations of Trump Family Tax Fraud

Request follows media reports that Trump conspired with his father to avoid paying millions of dollars in gift and estate taxes

Washington, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today sent a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig asking the IRS to fully investigate allegations of potentially illegal tax fraud committed by the Trump family. The letter follows detailed reporting of tactics used by Trump and his father to avoid paying gift and estate taxes. 

These allegations, first reported in the New York Times, indicate that in 1992 the Trump family established a sham company, All County Building Supply & Maintenance, for the principal purposes of avoiding gift tax and reducing the size of Fred Trump’s taxable estate,” wrote Wyden.  

Last year the Senate Finance Committee issued a report exposing the types of tax avoidance techniques specialists use to get their wealthy clients out of paying estate taxes. Many of these tactics were included in yesterday’s New York Times story.

“These media reports represent serious and credible allegations of potentially illegal tax fraud, based on extensive documentation,” continued Wyden.  “It is not clear whether the statute of limitations has expired in all cases. It is imperative that IRS fully investigate these allegations and prosecute any violations to the fullest extent of the law.”

A copy of Ranking Member Wyden’s letter to IRS Commissioner Rettig can be found here.

A copy of the Senate Finance Committee’s 2017 report on gift and estate tax avoidance can be found here.

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