Damon Rowe, a long-time veteran of the IRS Criminal Investigation division, will serve as the director of the agency’s new Fraud Enforcement Office beginning in mid-March.

Rowe will focus on unscrupulous activities of taxpayers and professional enablers, the agency said in a statement. The new office will reside in the IRS Small Business/Self-Employed Division and work on agency-wide compliance issues. He will serve as the principal advisor and consultant to IRS division commissioners and deputy commissioners.

“Damon’s exceptional leadership skills, background and expertise will strongly support agency determinations regarding the existence of fraud, and, just as important, determinations where a fraud referral should not occur,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig in a statement.

He has served as executive director of international operations for Criminal Investigation and previously served as special agent in charge of the Los Angeles and Dallas field offices and assistant special agent in charge of the New Orleans Field Office. Rowe began his IRS career as a special agent in 1998.

He holds a Bachelor of Accounting degree from the University of Houston, a J.D. from Texas Southern University, and a Master of Legal Letters in Taxation degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law.