Reported by IRS Criminal Investigation

(Excerpt shared below. To read full report, go to: https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/irs-ci-reveals-top-10-cases-of-2025)

From tax evasion to cybercrime, IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) top cases of 2025 resulted in multiyear prison sentences and multimillion dollar financial settlements, highlighting the most significant criminal sentencings of year.

“Financial trails are criminals’ downfall. This year’s top 10 cases demonstrate how following the money exposed public corruption, complex tax and cyber schemes, and pandemic-era fraud, enabling us to hold criminals accountable for millions in illicit gains,” said IRS-CI Chief Guy Ficco.

The top 10 cases of 2025 include:

10. Former Orange County supervisor sentenced to 5 years in prison for bribery scheme involving more than $10 million in COVID funds

Andrew Hoang Do, a former politician who served on California’s Orange County Board of Supervisors, was sentenced in June 2025 to 60 months in federal prison for accepting more than $550,000 in bribes for directing and voting in favor of more than $10 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds to a charity affiliated with one of his daughters.

9.  Former casino accounts payable manager sentenced for embezzlement, tax fraud 

In October 2025, Michael Anthony Houser of Oklahoma was sentenced to almost 8 years in prison and ordered to pay over $17 million in restitution to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, as well as more than $8 million in restitution to the IRS. While serving as a manager for the Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises LLC, Houser embezzled and obtained by fraud over $24 million from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Houser knowingly filed false tax returns with the IRS where he underreported his income by failing to disclose the stolen proceeds to the IRS.

8. Sacramento man sentenced to 12 years in prison for $38 million catalytic converter theft ring

Tou Sue Vang of Sacramento, California was sentenced to 12 years in prison for trafficking thousands of stolen catalytic converters, money laundering and related crimes. Alongside his brother and mother, Vang bought stolen converters from California thieves and sold them to DG Auto in New Jersey for more than $38 million. The scheme targeted high-value converters, such as those from Toyota Prius vehicles, and operated without a business license from private homes and storage units. Vang used proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle, including cash purchases of real estate, vehicles and luxury items; authorities have since seized much of this property. The case is part of a national crackdown on catalytic converter theft, involving 15 defendants across California and New Jersey and was investigated by IRS-CI and law enforcement partners.