Appellant/taxpayer Reis appeals from a district court order enforcing an Internal Revenue Service administrative summons requiring him to testify and produce designated records under I.R.C. (26 U.S.C.) §§ 7402(b) and 7604(a). We affirm.
On February 10, 1983, an IRS administrative summons was issued to taxpayer pursuant to I.R.C. § 7602, directing him to appear before an IRS agent and to testify and produce all documents and records in his possession or control reflecting income he received in 1980, in order to enable the IRS to determine his tax liability for that year.
On February 18, 1983, taxpayer came to the office of IRS agent Nix, but refused to produce the summoned documents unless the interview was recorded. Agent Nix declined to comply with those conditions, and taxpayer left without producing any documents for examination. Taxpayer did not appear on the day requested by the summons.
The United States petitioned the district court for enforcement of the summons, pursuant to I.R.C. § 7604. The district court issued an order directing the taxpayer to show cause why the summons should not be enforced. Taxpayer did not testify at the show cause hearing, but filed a motion to dismiss the petition on grounds it was barred by his fifth amendment right against self-incrimination.
The magistrate recommended that the summons be enforced in its entirety, finding that the I.R.S. had made a prima facie showing for the enforcement of the
DISCUSSION
Taxpayer’s fourth amendment defense is easily disposed of. The enforcement of an IRS summons does not violate the fourth amendment as long as the IRS has complied with the
Powell
requirements.
United States v. McAnlis,
Likewise, taxpayer’s fifth amendment defense is without merit. Taxpayer asserts a broad, generalized fifth amendment privilege in refusing to turn over any of the documents requested by the summons.
2
However, a taxpayer seeking the protection of the fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination must provide more than mere speculative, generalized allegations of possible tax-related criminal prosecution. To invoke the privilege, the taxpayer must be faced with substantial and real hazards of self-incrimination.
See United States v. Apfelbaum,
In the present case, the district court found that taxpayer was not a subject of a criminal investigation and that taxpayer’s case had not been referred to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution. Therefore, the court dismissed the fifth amendment claim as without merit. We agree with this disposition. Taxpayer has failed to show that any potential incrimination would occur as a result of the enforcement of the summons; therefore, the fifth amendment will not bar the production of the requested records.
Finding appellant’s constitutional claims to be without merit, we AFFIRM the enforcement order of the district court.
Notes
. The government must make a preliminary showing that the summons is issued for a legitimate purpose, that the information sought is relevant to that purpose and not already in the Commissioner’s possession, and that the appropriate administrative steps have been followed.
United States v. Powell,
. The summons requested production of "[a]ll documents and records you possess or control that reflect income you received for the year(s) 1980,” including, but not limited to, W-2 forms, Forms 1099, employee earnings statements, and records of bank deposits.
