# Justice Manual § 6-4.243: Review of Direct Referral Matters

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.243

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 6-4.243
- **Heading:** Review of Direct Referral Matters
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 6: Tax / 6-4.000 - Criminal Tax Case Procedures / Justice Manual § 6-4.243

## Text

The Tax Division authorizes the IRS to refer directly to the United States Attorney’s Office to conduct a grand jury investigation or for prosecution the following categories of matters:

Excise taxes.
This category includes all 26 U.S.C. and 18 U.S.C. offenses involving taxes imposed under Subtitles C, D, and E of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C.), except taxes imposed under Chapter 24 (withholding from wages), 32A parts I through III (motor and aviation fuels), and 38D (ozone-depleting chemicals).
Multiple filings of false and fictitious returns claiming refunds.
This category includes all 18 U.S.C. §§ 286 and 287 charges that arise when a taxpayer files, in a single tax year, two or more returns on which false refunds are claimed. This category does
not
include, and the IRS may
not
directly refer to the United States Attorney’s Office, cases involving return preparers who falsified returns to claim refunds or cases involving persons who submitted false or fictitious claims for refund to the IRS through the Electronic Filing (ELF) program. (18 U.S.C. §§ 286 and 287).
Trust fund matters.
This category involves alleged violations of the trust fund laws. (26 U.S.C. §§ 7215 and 7512).
"Ten percenter" matters.
This category includes wage-related cases in which the holder of a winning bet pays a nominee a percentage of winnings in exchange for the nominee's redemption of the winning bet. The IRS may directly refer such cases to the United States
only
if they involve an arrest that occurs at the time of the offense. 26 U.S.C. § 7206(2).
IRS Form 8300 Returns.
This category involves cases in which a taxpayer who receives cash in a trade or business and is required under 26 U.S.C. § 6050I to file an IRS Form 8300, fails to file or files a false Form 8300. With some exceptions, the Tax Division authorizes direct referrals in such cases to prosecute violations under 26 U.S.C. §§ 7203 and 7206.
See
Tax Division Directive No. 87-61 (February 27, 1987),
available at
Criminal Tax Manual, Chapter 3.
taxpayer who receives cash in a trade or business and is required under 26 U.S.C. § 6050I to file an IRS Form 8300, fails to file or files a false Form 8300. With some exceptions, the Tax Division authorizes direct referrals in such cases to prosecute violations under 26 U.S.C. §§ 7203 and 7206.
See
Tax Division Directive No. 87-61 (February 27, 1987),
available at
Criminal Tax Manual, Chapter 3.

The United States Attorney’s Office may initiate or decline prosecution of direct referral matters without first obtaining Tax Division approval, but in all other tax matters may initiate proceedings only after the Tax Division authorizes prosecution. Once a prosecution of any tax matter, including a direct referral matter, is initiated, however, the United States Attorney’s Office may not dismiss the indictment, information, or complaint unless and until the Tax Division authorizes dismissal.
See
JM 6-4.246
.

[updated June 2020] [cited in
JM 6-4.110
;
6-4.122
]

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 6-4.010 Federal Criminal Tax Enforcement](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.010.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.011 Criminal Tax Manual and Other Tax Division Publications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.011.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.110 IRS Administrative Investigations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.110.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.120 Grand Jury Investigations—Generally](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.120.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.121 IRS Requests to Authorize Grand Jury Investigations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.121.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.122 United States Attorney's Grand Jury Investigations and Prosecutions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.122.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.123 Joint United States Attorney—IRS Request to Expand Tax Grand Jury Investigation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.123.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.125 IRS Transmittal of United States Attorney's Recommendation, Special Agent's and Criminal Tax Counsel's Reports, and Exhibits from Grand Jury Investigation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.125.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.126 Restriction on Disclosure of Grand Jury Matters to IRS for Civil Use](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.126.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.130 Search Warrants](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.130.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.200 Tax Division Jurisdiction and Procedures](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.200.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.209 Stolen Identity Refund Charges](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.209.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.210 Tax-Related Mail, Wire, or Bank Fraud, RICO, or Money Laundering Charges](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.210.md)
- [Justice Manual § 6-4.211 Standards of Review](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.211.md)

---

Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S6-4.243. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.
