CEO and Vice President of the NRA Wayne LaPierre is being investigated by the IRS for possible criminal tax fraud related to his personal taxes after New York Attorney General Letitia James' office filed a civil suit against LaPierre in August
Longtime CEO and Vice President of the National Rifle Association Wayne LaPierre is being investigated by the IRS for possible criminal tax fraud related to his personal taxes, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. New York Attorney General Letitia James' office filed a civil suit against LaPierre in August, claiming that he along with other officials of the pro-gun group guzzled millions of dollars from the non-profit to finance yacht and private jet trips, expensive meals, and other lavish expenses. They have denied all allegations of wrongdoing in connection with that lawsuit.
LaPierre was paid $2.2 million by the NRA in 2018, the most recent year available in the public filings, the Journal reported. His total reported pay between 2014 and 2018 was $11.2 million, the report said.
“The NRA is not aware of any IRS inquiry but, of course, will fully cooperate with any appropriate requests for assistance,” William A. Brewer III, outside counsel to the NRA wrote to Inside Edition Digital. “The NRA is committed to good governance. The Association’s tax filings are audited, it complies with all applicable regulations, and the Board has an independent Audit Committee.”
A lawyer for LaPierre is also unaware of the inquiry, Kent Correll wrote to Inside Edition Digital in an email.
The NRA is registered as a non-profit, which means that they are only permitted to use funds that directly benefit the group's mission, the New York Post previously reported.
The AG James declined to say if she believed LaPierre had evaded taxes on his personal income, according to the Journal. Criminal inquiries into heads of powerful and sprawling non-profits, similar to the NRA, are rare, the report said.
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