My father, Khalid, has been robbed twice at his convenience store in Greenville, N.C. The first time happened a few winters ago – the thief stole $2,000 before bashing my father in the head with a gun barrel. Then in June 2014, my father was robbed again.

This time, the thief was the United States government. Using a power called “civil forfeiture,” the IRS raided my father’s bank account and seized his entire life savings: more than $153,000. He was never charged with a crime.

After seizing the account, IRS agents and local authorities descended on my father’s store. Without a warrant, they searched the place with dogs and blocked customers from entering.

The agents told my father he had committed multiple “structuring” violations, simply by making multiple cash withdrawals that were under $10,000. But he only withdrew enough money to keep the store operating, and had no idea withdrawing money from his own bank account could risk legal trouble.

The raid was a total shock.

Read the rest at The Charlotte Observer