Man Charged With Making Threats to the IRS

On September 14, 2009, Michael Belair was charged in Florida with using interstate communications to threaten to injure another person.

On March 19, 2009, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) received a letter from Belair that contained several threatening statements. Belair's letter was in response to official IRS correspondence advising him of an outstanding tax liability.

Belair was interviewed by special agents with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) on April 10, 2009. During the interview, Belair stated, "Don't ask me to pay this Nazi country, I won't do it." Belair also stated that he had been under tremendous amounts of stress due to an illness, had been frustrated because of his situation with the IRS, and did not care if he was arrested because he was going to die soon anyway. Belair was advised that he may not threaten the IRS or its employees and that making such threats is a violation of Federal law.

On June 26, 2009, the IRS reported receipt of correspondence from Belair dated June 12, 2009. This letter was in response to official IRS correspondence advising him that the IRS was going to deduct money from his Social Security benefits in order to pay his tax liability. In the letter, Belair stated, "...if one cent is deducted from my SS check I am quite certain that I will be outraged and might even be pushed to take this atrocity to the IRS offices and kill myself in the lobby..."

On June 30, 2009, a monitored telephone call was completed between an IRS employee and Belair. During the monitored call, Belair stated, "If one cent is touched from my Social Security check, there will be violence." Belair also stated, "I have attempted suicide three times. I'm a loose cannon and people better step off."

On June 30, 2009, TIGTA special agents and the Hollywood Florida Police Department contacted Belair. The Hollywood Florida Police officers took Belair into custody for safety reasons and transported him to a hospital to receive a psychological evaluation.