(WASHINGTON, D.C.) –Following his meetings with the Chief Postal Inspector, his deputies, and representatives from the Government Accountability Office, Rep. Rich Nugent (FL-05) issued the following statement.:

“Back in September, Rep. Kathy Castor and I met with the Tampa Police Department about their discovery of a massive tax fraud scheme taking place in Tampa.  I left that meeting determined to get to the bottom of what was going on and to make sure that federal and local law enforcement were coordinating their efforts to bring this scheme to an end.

“From my perspective, after thirty-eight years in law enforcement, it is completely unacceptable to have criminals stealing from innocent people and doing so without consequence.  That’s the situation we have right now.  These crooks are hiding right out there in the open, with no fear of prosecution.  They are practically bragging about what they are doing.  Flat out, I am not going to stand by and watch criminals stealing from the taxpayers.  Families work too hard for their paychecks to see them stolen right out from under the government’s nose.  These are real tax dollars that are being stolen.  It is not projected money. It is actual cash that American families and businesses have paid in, that are sitting in the Treasury being stolen.  If people were pulling up in vans and walking out of the Treasury with millions in cash without being stopped, the American people would be shocked.  And yet, that’s exactly what is happening here.  They aren’t being stopped. 

“There are laws and procedures in Washington that need to be changed.  I’m going to see that those changes occur.  Today’s meetings with the Postal Inspector and representatives from GAO are a crucial step in doing the due diligence to make sure we get the legislation right.  I have asked GAO to study this specific problem and to report back with their findings and recommendations.  They have agreed to do so, and in recognition of the severity and time-sensitive nature of the problem, they have agreed to expedite the report.  

“There is another tax season coming soon and the criminals better know that we are on to them and we’re not going to tolerate it.”  

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