Deposit in Treasury of Money Received in Undercover Operation

The Assistant Secretary for Administration, Department of the Treasury, requested the concurrence of GAO in his opinion that the deposit in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts of money received in an ongoing undercover operation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service may be delayed until the money is no longer needed for use as evidence of a crime. The U.S. Code requires only that the deposit of such money be made as soon as practicable. GAO believed that the immediate deposit of the money before the conclusion of the operation would preclude its continued use in the undercover operation and could hinder its use as evidence in prosecutions stemming from the investigation. Therefore, GAO concurred with the Assistant Secretary's opinion.