Whistleblower News From The Inside -- February 21, 2018

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team

IRS increases Caterpillar tax penalty to $2.3 billion – In the company’s annual financial reports, Caterpillar Inc. disclosed that the Internal Revenue Service’s determination of back taxes and penalties Caterpillar owes the United States government has grown by about $300 million. The sanctions, imposed for Caterpillar’s offshore tax strategy, have increased as the IRS completes audits of the company’s tax filings. Peoria Journal Star

Armored vehicle company CEO sentenced for role in scheme to defraud the United States – The owner and CEO of Armet Armored Vehicles was sentenced to more than five years for his role in a scheme to defraud the United States by providing the Department of Defense with armored gun trucks that did not meet ballistic and blast protection requirements set out in the company’s contracts with the government. DOJ

CFTC warns customers to avoid virtual currency pump-and-dump schemes – The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued a Customer Protection Advisory warning customers to beware of pump-and-dump schemes that can occur in thinly traded or new “alternative” virtual currencies, digital coins or tokens. CFTC