Mueller teams up with IRS in Russia probe: report

Special counsel Robert Mueller is working with members of the IRS’s Criminal Investigations (CI) unit as part of the investigation into possible collusion between President Trump’s campaign and Russia, according to a new report.

The Daily Beast reported on Thursday that Mueller has teamed up with agents from the IRS unit dedicated to prosecuting financial crimes such as tax evasion and money laundering. One retired agent from the team said that the FBI doesn’t have the “expertise” that the CI unit has when it comes to investigating financial crimes.

“The FBI’s expertise is spread out over so many statutes—and particularly since 9/11, where they really focused on counterintelligence and counterterror—that they simply don’t have the financial investigative expertise that the CI agents have,” Martin Sheil told The Daily Beast. “When CI brings a case to a U.S. Attorney, it is done. It’s wrapped up with a ribbon and a bow. It’s just comprehensive.”

{mosads}The news comes just a day after it was revealed that Mueller is working with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (D) to investigate possible ties to Russia involving Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager.

Schneiderman and Mueller are reportedly investigating possible financial crimes, including money laundering, by Manafort in New York. Schneiderman has also been conducting his own state-level investigation into Manafort’s real estate dealings.

Mueller was appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in May to oversee the federal investigation into Russia’s attempts to influence the presidential election. Earlier this week, news broke that he had subpoenaed several people close to Manafort, including his spokesman and former attorneys.

Trump has warned Mueller publicly against investigating his family’s finances, and last week pardoned former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona in a move that was widely seen as a signal to those at the center of the Russia investigation.