Internal Revenue Service Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano on Tuesday denied allegations that he secretly surveilled fellow executives while serving as co-chief operating officer at JPMorgan Chase (JPMorgan Chase (JPM)), calling the claims “completely false” during an interview on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street.
The allegations stem from a Wall Street Journal report published Tuesday that claimed Bisignano used his authority over JPMorgan’s security department more than a decade ago to monitor colleagues’ internal communications and obtain sensitive information without a legitimate business purpose, according to the Journal. One of the executives allegedly targeted was Charlie Scharf, who now serves as chief executive officer of Wells Fargo & Company (Wells Fargo (WFC)), according to the report.
Flat Rejection
“None of it’s true ever in my whole career,” Bisignano said on CNBC when asked about the allegations. He also rejected claims that he accessed confidential regulatory documents, saying, “Never. I wouldn’t even know how to do that.”
Addressing the allegation involving Scharf, Bisignano said the Wells Fargo CEO contacted him after the Journal story was published.
“Charlie called me last night. We had a good laugh about it,” he said, adding that Scharf and former JPMorgan executive Mike Cavanagh remain “great friends.” Bisignano also described the report as “really bad journalism” based on unnamed sources.
The IRS chief also defended his professional record, pointing to his leadership roles at JPMorgan and saying the bank itself had denied the allegations. He said JPMorgan Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon continued to support him and noted that the two still maintain a good relationship.
IRS Focus
The interview also touched on Bisignano’s current government responsibilities. He said protecting Americans’ personal information remains a top priority at both the IRS and the Social Security Administration, adding that the agencies have strengthened cybersecurity controls and governance since he took office. He also highlighted the administration’s efforts to reduce fraud, waste and abuse across federal payment systems. The comments align with the IRS’ broader modernization efforts, including recent recommendations from a federal advisory panel to expand artificial intelligence, strengthen fraud detection and enhance digital taxpayer services.
Bisignano has led several operational changes at the IRS since taking over as chief executive officer, including a leadership reorganization ahead of the 2026 tax filing season and a broader push to modernize agency operations through technology while improving taxpayer services and enforcement.
