Celebration at the courthouse

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IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) celebrated its 100th anniversary on May 10, at the Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse in Detroit. The event featured presentations by mob historians and authors, current and former federal prosecutors, along with IRS-CI agents. Among the speakers were (left to right) U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise Hood, Eastern District of Michigan, and Special Agent in Charge Manny Muriel, IRS-CI Detroit Field Office. The agency was created on July 1, 1919, when Daniel C. Roper, commissioner of Internal Revenue, created the Intelligence Unit (known today as CI) and designated Elmer L. Irey as the first chief.  His mission was to investigate widespread allegations of tax fraud. While much has changed since 1919, the mission of criminal tax enforcement remains the same: To fulfill the role of helping to ensure the integrity and fairness of the U.S. tax system.  Here in Detroit, CI’s role has ranged from investigating the Purple Gang and La Cosa Nostra to more recent prosecutions such as the former City of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Dr. Farid Fata, amongst others.