Novel way to process tax returns

[Lanya]

Former Mellon employee pleads guilty in the destruction of tax returns
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Article Last Updated: 06/08/2007 10:51:40 AM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- A former Mellon Bank employee admitted her role in destroying thousands of federal tax returns, pleading guilty Thursday to one count of theft of government property.

Denise Philpott, 52, of Shaler Township, was a bank supervisor in April 2001 when Mellon had a contract with the Internal Revenue Service to process income tax returns and tax-payment checks.

Mellon employees, feeling overwhelmed and unable to meet contract-imposed deadlines, destroyed 77,000 returns and checks totaling $1.3 billion at a company service center in Pittsburgh, federal prosecutors said. Missing the deadlines would have meant fines and penalties for the bank.
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http://www.yorkdispatch.com/business/ci_6093121

[Xavier_Onassis]

Mellon as in Richard Mellon Scaife, the guy who financed the anti-Clinton campaign.
The Mellons have been  pretty notorious fatcat transgressors over the years.

[Plane]

Former Mellon employee pleads guilty in the destruction of tax returns
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Article Last Updated: 06/08/2007 10:51:40 AM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- A former Mellon Bank employee admitted her role in destroying thousands of federal tax returns, pleading guilty Thursday to one count of theft of government property.

Denise Philpott, 52, of Shaler Township, was a bank supervisor in April 2001 when Mellon had a contract with the Internal Revenue Service to process income tax returns and tax-payment checks.

Mellon employees, feeling overwhelmed and unable to meet contract-imposed deadlines, destroyed 77,000 returns and checks totaling $1.3 billion at a company service center in Pittsburgh, federal prosecutors said. Missing the deadlines would have meant fines and penalties for the bank.
[]
http://www.yorkdispatch.com/business/ci_6093121

The advradge owed was 17 k?

Is this tipical?