The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is âcurrently tracing moneyâ connected to the recent left-wing riots in Los Angeles in partnership with other agencies, Trump administration officials announced Tuesday.
IRS, FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) leaders said in a video posted to X that their agencies are working together to investigate financial support for anti-deportation riots that rocked Los Angeles for several days starting June 6. The unrest has led to nearly $20 million in costs for Los Angeles so far and more than 550 arrests on charges such as resisting, obstructing or delaying, attempted murder, looting and vandalism.
âWe are currently tracing money to determine who is providing funding for these riots,â IRS Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher said. âFunding crime doesnât just affect the criminals. It also disrupts entire communities ⌠make no mistake, we will identify and disrupt financial networks supporting these criminal activities.â
DOJ prosecutor Bill Essayli noted the Thursday arrest of a man on charges of conspiracy to commit and aiding and abetting civil disorders for allegedly handing out face shields to rioters. âThese violent agitators put peaceful demonstrators at risk,â he said.
Left-wing activists used a coordinated social media campaign to call for protests inLos Angeles on June 6 after the arrest of a union leader who allegedly tried to obstruct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Daily Caller News Foundation previously reported. Some groups explicitly encouraged protesters to âdisrupt and slow ICE incursionsâ and defend illegal immigrants âby whatever means necessary.â
Fox Newsâ Bill Melugin also reported that unidentified individuals passed around ear plugs, gas masks and water bottles that they then hurled at police officers.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced on June 9 that his agency âis investigating any and all monetary connections responsible for these riots.â
Outrage against ICE has also sparked rioting and arrests in mostly Democrat-led cities around the country afterLos Angeles.
âThink before you act,â Essayli said, warning that offenders could face fines and imprisonment.
âAny evidence of a criminal conspiracy of this kind would be subject to investigation,â the FBIâs Los Angeles field office told the DCNF.
The DOJ and IRS office did not immediately respond to the DCNFâs requests for comment.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporterâs byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].