Kevin Sweeney

Kevin Sweeney

IRS audits, civil tax litigation, and white-collar criminal defense
  • Tax Law, White Collar Crime
  • New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
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Biography

Kevin Sweeney is a former federal tax prosecutor with over a decade of experience. His practice focuses on high-stakes IRS audits, tax litigation, white-collar criminal defense matters, and corporate investigations for entities and individuals all over the world. Kevin’s experience and longstanding connections enable him to anticipate government action, expertly navigate clients through difficult situations, and deliver arguments that resonate with judges, juries, prosecutors, and IRS employees.

Practice Areas
Tax Law
Business Taxes, Criminal Tax Litigation, Estate Tax Planning, Income Taxes, International Taxes, Payroll Taxes, Property Taxes, Sales Taxes, Tax Appeals, Tax Audits, Tax Planning
White Collar Crime
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
New Jersey
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New York
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Pennsylvania
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U.S. Supreme Court
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Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
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Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry
- Current
Kevin counsels companies and individuals on tax compliance matters and defends them in IRS audits and civil tax litigation before the United States Tax Court, District Courts, Circuit Courts, and Court of Federal Claims. He draws on his prior experience as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice's Tax Division (DOJ). Kevin's skill set is particularly suited for complex civil tax issues as well as sensitive tax matters where penalty, fraud, or even criminal issues could arise. He has successfully assisted clients with cases involving offshore and foreign tax information reporting, reports of foreign bank and financial accounts (FBARs), cryptocurrency, tax credits, tax shelters, captive insurance, reportable transactions, material adviser disclosure statements, employment taxes, passive activity loss rules, hobby loss rules, mark-to-market elections, like-kind exchanges, promoter audits, trust fund recovery penalties and preparer penalties. Kevin has also assisted clients with state sales tax and residency issues. In cases where a civil tax disposition is not possible, Kevin counsels and defends clients in IRS administrative investigations, grand jury investigations, and federal prosecutions. As a former federal tax prosecutor for DOJ Tax and several U.S. Attorney's Offices, he is a seasoned white-collar criminal defense attorney. Kevin has investigated and litigated dozens of federal financial fraud cases throughout the country involving tax evasion, tax preparer, employment tax, FBAR, money laundering, currency structuring, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and other financial fraud issues. Cases Kevin has litigated have been covered by Fortune, Bloomberg, and The Financial Times. Kevin frequently speaks and writes on civil and criminal tax controversy and litigation matters and is often quoted by national media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, CNBC and CNN. He wrote the book on IRS/DOJ authority to compel documents and testimony with summonses and subpoenas during civil audits and criminal investigations as well as available defenses and privilege issues. See Bloomberg Tax Portfolio, Compelled Production of Documents and Testimony in Tax Examinations, No. 633. Kevin is admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division
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Kevin is uniquely positioned to counsel financial institutions, asset managers, professional services firms, and executives on U.S. regulatory and tax enforcement issues including FATCA and to represent individuals with foreign bank accounts and virtual currency wallets in civil tax audits, criminal tax investigations, voluntary disclosures, and other IRS tax compliance matters. At DOJ Tax he was part of a select team of attorneys who specialized in offshore tax enforcement matters. He led many of the offices most successful international cases including landmark tax enforcement actions against Swiss banks BSI SA, Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) SA, and Edmond de Rothschild SA.
Judge Advocate (JAG)
U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps
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Kevin served on active duty from 2006-2010. He deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in 2006 with the 4th Infantry Division where he advised commanders on criminal law issues and internal investigations into serious combat-related incidents. Upon returning from Iraq, Kevin served first as a prosecutor in Fort Hood, Texas and then as an appellate attorney in Washington, DC. As a JAG, Kevin investigated and litigated dozens of criminal cases and appeals.
Education
New York Law School
J.D. (2005) | Law
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Honors: Cum Laude
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Loyola College
B.B.A. (2002) | Accounting
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Awards
Listed
Legal 500
Outstanding Attorney Award
U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division
Outstanding Attorney Award
U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division
Professional Associations
American Bar Association Section on Taxation
Civil and Criminal Tax Penalties Committee
Current
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American Bar Association Section on Criminal Justice
White-Collar Crime Committee
Current
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Speaking Engagements
Employment Taxes and Criminal Prosecutions, Fall Meeting, Boston, MA
American Bar Associatiom Tax Section
Eggshell Audits: Handling IRS Examinations With Potential Fraud Penalty and Criminal Issues, Dinner Meeting, Monroe Township, NJ
New Jersey Society of Enrolled Agents
Criminal Tax Workshop, 34th National Institute on Criminal Tax Fraud & 7th Annual National Institute on Tax Controversy, Las Vegas, NV
American Bar Association Tax Section
Navigating the Minefield: Strategies for Establishing and Preserving the Attorney Client Privilege During Internal Investigations, Breakfast Meeting, Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia Area Chapter of Certified Fraud Examiners
Hot Topics in Tax and Money Laundering Viewed Through the Lens of United States v. Paul Manafort, White-Collar Practice Seminar, Philadelphia, PA
Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
What Everyone Needs to Know about Cryptocurrency, 35th National Institute on Criminal Tax Fraud and Eighth Annual National Institute on Tax Controversy, Las Vegas, NV
American Bar Association Tax Section
Criminal Tax for Accountants: What You Don’t Know May Hurt Your Clients (or You), Dinner Meeting, Voorhees, NJ
New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, Southwest Jersey Chapter
The Block Chain Gang: Criminal Enforcement & Tax Reporting for Cryptocurrencies & ICO Tokens, 42nd Annual Tax Law Conference, Washington, DC
Federal Bar Association
Cryptocurrency: Tax Reporting and Enforcement Issues, Dean’s Hour, Mineola, NY
Nassau County Bar Association
Tax Regulatory Update, Process and Potential Questions Regarding Validity, Deloitte Tax Global Tax Planning Conference, Villanova, PA
The Continuing Role of the Fifth Amendment Protections in Tax Enforcement, 36th National Institute on Criminal Tax Fraud & 9th Annual National Institute on Tax Controversy, Las Vegas, NV
American Bar Association Tax Section
Cryptocurrencies, TaxExpo, Houston, TX
Texas Society of CPAs
Websites & Blogs
Website
Contact & Map
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry
300 Conshohocken State Road
Suite 570
West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Telephone: (610) 772-2327
Fax: (610) 772-2305