NEWARK, NJ – FEBRUARY 20: Howard Stern arves at the “America’s Got Talent” Season 9 Photo Call at New Jersey Performing Arts Center on February 20, 2014 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

Howard Stern is known to push the envelope at times, and one woman who was trying to sort through a tax issue feels the radio host crossed the line. Now Stern is being sued for a violation of privacy and negligence.

IRS agent Jimmy Forsythe called in to be on the Stern’s satellite radio show but was placed on hold before he could go on. Knowing he may be on hold for a while, he decided to put the phone down and take an incoming call from Judith Barrigas of Massachusetts. Barrigas was simply looking to address a few concerns about her taxes, which Forsythe attempted to resolve over the span of 45 minutes on a separate phone. While this tax conversation was ongoing, The Stern Show realized they had a caller on hold that was preoccupied doing something else. As a result, the show opted to check in and listen in on the conversation Forsythe was having on another phone, and information related to Barrigas started making it on the air.

“While on the phone with Agent Forsythe, Mrs. Barrigas suddenly began to receive a barrage of text messages and phone calls from unknown callers/individuals,” the lawsuit filed on behalf of Barrigas claims. “The text messages were informing Mrs. Barrigas that her personal information and phone number was being aired live on The Stern Show.”

In response, Forsythe has been placed on administrative leave and Barrigas is suing the government for unlawful disclosure of her tax return. She is also filing legal action against Stern’s show for negligence.

“The defendants breached their duty of reasonable care by broadcasting the private phone conversation between Mrs. Barrigas and the IRS on May 19, 2015, and thereby publicly disseminating private tax return and identity information of Mrs. Barrigas’s to over one million people worldwide,” states the lawsuit.

The lawsuit is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, but how much it is seeking has not been reported.

Did Howard Stern’s show cross a line? I guess we’ll have to let the courts decide.

[The Hollywood Reporter/Photo: Getty Images]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.