KC Reporter

A woman from Nixa, Missouri, Tina Louise Yager, has admitted guilt in federal court to charges of wire fraud and making false claims against the United States. The plea was entered before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie Epps, Jr., following her waiver of a grand jury.

Yager, aged 66 and a tax preparer by profession, confessed to using her clients' information to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) between November 2023 and March 2024. The plea agreement detailed that Yager submitted these documents without client consent, adding unauthorized deductions to inflate refunds which she then embezzled for personal use.

The fraudulent activities resulted in intended losses amounting to $48,481. However, Yager managed to misappropriate only $16,850 for herself. As part of her agreement with the court, she is required to pay at least $14,447 in restitution to the IRS. The precise amount will be confirmed during her sentencing hearing along with a forfeiture money judgment of $16,850.

Federal statutes indicate that Yager could face up to 25 years in prison without parole. This maximum sentence is established by Congress for informational purposes; however, the actual sentence will be determined by the court considering advisory guidelines and statutory factors. A sentencing date will be set after a presentence investigation conducted by the United States Probation Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney is prosecuting this case following an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation.