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U.S. NEWS Thursday 24 March 2022
IRS unit gets no funds to enforce sanctions on rich Russians

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Treasury said in a statement
Associated Press last week.
WASHINGTON (AP) — For all Chye-Ching Huang, execu-
of the talk about slapping tive director of the Tax Law
sanctions on Russian oli- Center at NYU Law, said
garchs, there was a nota- the funding woes for the IRS
ble omission in the Ukraine investigations unit are part
aid package approved this of a larger issue with the
month by Congress: An in- federal government relying
fusion of money for the IRS on the IRS to step in during
criminal investigation arm national and international
tasked with tracking down emergencies.
the pricey properties of the “We saw that during the
Russian elite didn’t make pandemic, when the ad-
the cut. ministrative apparatus was
The White House request used to get billions of dollars
to give the IRS $30 million of aid to people and busi-
for tracing financial activi- nesses in a short amount
ties associated with sanc- of time, and we’re seeing
tioned people appeared it during a foreign policy
to run afoul of broader re- emergency,” she said.
luctance by Republicans Biden signed the giant
to put more money into spending bill into law earlier
IRS enforcement actions. A woman poses for a photo during sunset over the Kremlin at Zaryadye Park near Red Square in this month to fund the gov-
Republicans close to the Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Associated Press ernment through Septem-
spending bill negotiations ber. Included in the fund-
said the mission of the IRS Central Bank are imposed nancial crimes. bases that can access ing is $5.4 billion dedicated
should be to administer by the Treasury Depart- “The IRS criminal investiga- global public records, a to IRS enforcement outside
and enforce the U.S. tax ment and its various en- tors are some of the best fi- Treasury official told The As- of criminal investigations,
code, not to enforce sanc- forcement arms, including nancial investigators in the sociated Press, speaking on an increase of $225 million
tions. those at the IRS. world. It’s important they the condition of anonymity above fiscal 2021.
While the money for Ukraine Along with the newly are at full strength.” to discuss internal matters. Jorge Castro, who served
in the spending bill includes formed KleptoCapture In its funding request to Currently, only five people as counselor to the IRS
$25 million for the Treasury group led by the Justice Congress, the White House have that capability. commissioner during the
Department’s terrorism and Department, the IRS plays said the $30 million would The workforce of the inves- Obama administration,
financial intelligence unit, a major part in imposing expand IRS Criminal Inves- tigations unit has shrunk by said he was hopeful the
$17 million for its depart- sanctions on oligarchs and tigation’s capability to find 25% over the course of the agency will get more mon-
mental offices and $19 mil- supporters of Vladimir Putin. links between various busi- last decade, according ey, as the war in Ukraine
lion for the Financial Crimes A lack of funding for the IRS nesses, conduct digital as- to Treasury. The unit “is in shows no signs of ending.
Enforcement Network, the criminal investigations unit set tracing, and identify the desperate need of stable, “I suspect we’re not done
only Treasury agency that “damages the ability of ownership of assets owned long-term funding to devel- with additional sanctions-
did not receive its request our law enforcement com- by oligarchs and others op a deeper understand- related bills and I’m as-
was IRS Criminal Investiga- munity to do its work” said linked to Putin. ing of the global financial suming the Biden adminis-
tion. Danny Glaser, a former That money would have landscape and trace and tration would like to make
Many of the sanctions lev- Treasury assistant secretary included purchasing more seize assets that today are this a feature of its next re-
ied on Russia’s elite and its for terrorist financing and fi- than 50 licenses to data- in the hands of criminals,” quest,” he said.q

U.S. finds Russian troops have committed

war crimes in Ukraine

By MATTHEW LEE leased as he was traveling credible reports of indis-
AP Diplomatic Writer to Brussels with President criminate attacks and at-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Joe Biden for an emergen- tacks deliberately target-
Biden administration on cy summit of NATO leaders. ing civilians, as well as other
Wednesday made a formal The assessment was atrocities. Russia’s forces
determination that Russian based on a “careful re- have destroyed apartment
troops have committed view” of public and intel- buildings, schools, hospi-
war crimes in Ukraine and ligence sources since Rus- tals, critical infrastructure,
said it would work with oth- sia launched its invasion of civilian vehicles, shopping
ers to prosecute offenders, Ukraine last month, he said. centers, and ambulances, Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a news
Secretary of State Antony America’s top diplomat leaving thousands of in- conference Thursday, March 17, 2022, at the State Department
Blinken said. said the United States nocent civilians killed or in Washington.
“Today, I can announce would share that informa- wounded,” Blinken said Associated Press
that, based on information tion with allies, partners and said. for war crimes committed by helping to gather evi-
currently available, the U.S. international institutions Neither Russia nor the U.S. in Ukraine. dence against Russian forc-
government assesses that tasked with investigating recognizes the authority of The U.S. could still assist a es in Ukraine, using some of
members of Russia’s forc- allegations of war crimes the International Criminal prosecution before the the vast abilities it has de-
es have committed war and crimes against human- Court at The Hague, pre- court, which earlier opened ployed to track and moni-
crimes in Ukraine,” Blinken ity. senting obvious difficulties an investigation into atroci- tor what has been happen-
said in a statement re- “We’ve seen numerous for seeking accountability ties committed in Ukraine, ing in the conflict. q