Acushield Financial took my "set aside" funds of almost $4,000 and never returned them when I asked to cancel in 2008. Now I'm told the IRS took the remaining monies before the company dispersed. Las Vegas , Nevada

I signed up with Acushield Financial because I was young and had credit card problems.  They were acting as a Debt counseling company and I paid a $35 monthly fee to use them and gave them $230/month as well to "set aside" and build a "set aside fund" which would be utilized to settle my credit card debt.  I was given the run around in 2007 when I called to inquire what was being done with the account because no one was telling me what was going on.  I was told it was in negotiations and be patient.  I called back to cancel and sent a certified mail letter to cancel and get my "set aside money" returned in 2008, around August or September.  At that point, I was told that my money would be returned to me within 60 days.  December came around and I called up asking where my funds were.  A woman than gave me a call and stated the Nicolas De Sargonzac asked her to help negotiate how the money would be returned because the company was apparently going under financially.
This is purely stipulation but I am under the impression that he tied up the "set aside funds" in the stock market which crashed because all the problems arose at this point when the market failed.  Either way, my "set aside account" disappeared.  No money was ever returned, my credit card that they were working on "settling" hindered my credit score because it was never negotiated upon as promised. 
So, recently I found Nicolas De Sargonzac's email address and write to him.  A man named Doug gave a reply stating that Nicolas was not the acting CEO during the collapse of the company and now it is too late to get my funds back because the IRS has taken the remaining money.  I never got my money returned.  Does the IRS owe me at this point?  I'm extremely confused and sad that I've been ripped off for $4K and that I paid more money in service fees for a service that was a scam.  I have my bank statements showing all the payments to the company since 2003 or 2004 (not sure when I started but it's shown on the paperwork).
Any help or advice would be appreciated.  Do I need to contact the IRS?  Some reason, I don't really think that they're in the business of giving money back from a business that they collected from and one that is now shut down.