Al Capone to Cybercrime: The Journey of IRS Special Agents

NCRNALC4
CPE Credits: 4 Credits Program Level: Basic

Course Description

Since 1919, the IRS has had both a civil and criminal function in the U.S. tax system. Few people know the IRS has an elite criminal function that started with five United States Postal Inspectors. From its early days taking down Al Capone to now solving cybercrimes, IRS special agents investigate tax fraud, money laundering, and other white-collar crimes. This course shows the importance of this law enforcement function, the training, techniques, expertise, and actions that make IRS-CI known as the ‘world’s finest financial investigators.’ It was prepared by a 20-year veteran of IRS-Criminal Investigation who investigated crimes and trained and mentored other special agents.

Program Content

  • Introduction to IRS Criminal Investigation (CI): its mission, role, and significance in tax compliance
  • Historical evolution from its 1919 inception to today, including key milestones and notable cases
  • Investigative techniques and tools used by CI agents to uncover financial crimes
  • The impact of CI’s work on tax compliance, public confidence, and the broader financial system
  • Training of CI agents, including FLETC and ongoing professional development
  • A step-by-step breakdown of how tax fraud and money laundering cases are initiated, investigated, and prosecuted

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to:
  • Analyze the role of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI)
  • Assess the historical development of IRS CI
  • Identify key investigative techniques and tools
  • Recognize the importance of IRS CI’s work
  • Assess the training and development of CI agents
  • Recognize the process of tax fraud and money laundering investigations

Who Should Attend

CPAs, forensic accountants, tax professionals.
About Your Instructor - Robert Nordlander

Investigations, not just theory

For two decades, Robert Nordlander worked inside IRS Criminal Investigation, uncovering complex cases involving tax evasion, money laundering, embezzlement, and fraud. Today, as a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner, he brings that same investigative discipline to forensic accounting and tax resolution. His experience has shaped bestselling books, national training programs, and the Fraud Fighter podcast — and now, this self-study library. Real federal experience, distilled into practical knowledge for CPAs and attorneys.

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ForensicsCPE is where you learn about Robert Nordlander's forensic accounting courses. When you enroll, you're directed to our authorized third-party CPE partner's site, which is a NASBA-registered sponsor on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. That partner handles secure checkout, course delivery, final exams, CPE reporting, and issuing your completion certificate.

Courses are offered as NASBA QAS Self-Study through our CPE partner. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of any individual course for CPE credit, so verify the course meets your specific state's requirements before enrolling.

Self-study access windows are set by our CPE partner and are noted at checkout (typically valid for a set period from your purchase date). You can start, stop, and resume within that window.

Refund and complaint resolution requests are handled by our CPE partner in line with their published policies, which are shown at checkout. Complaints about a registered sponsor can also be submitted directly to NASBA's National Registry of CPE Sponsors at nasbaregistry.org.

The courses are written for CPAs, CFEs, and other accounting professionals who want practical forensic accounting skills — whether you're building a forensic accounting practice area or handling an occasional litigation or divorce engagement.

Yes. Robert speaks and presents live CPE sessions for firms, state societies, and organizations. For live or custom training, contact [email protected].