The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has appointed Trish Turner, a longtime IRS veteran, as the new head of its crypto unit following the departure of two top private-sector hires who helped shape the agency’s digital asset enforcement. The outgoing executives, Sulolit “Raj” Mukherjee and Seth Wilks, held key roles in compliance and digital asset strategy for just over a year before leaving the IRS, though no reasons for their exit were provided.
The IRS has intensified its oversight of cryptocurrencies in recent years, increasing audits and initiating more criminal cases involving digital assets. New crypto broker rules introduced by the agency have sparked significant controversy within the industry, with critics arguing that the regulations are too broad.
Turner’s promotion comes at a pivotal time as the political landscape shifts with the expectation of a more crypto-friendly stance from the second Trump administration. Additionally, more than 23,000 IRS employees are considering departure due to a deferred resignation offer rolled out by the incoming administration.