SPRINGFIELD, MO. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Missouri, Western), published as received.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – On May 6, 2026, a Springfield, Ill., woman was sentenced in federal court today for one count of wire fraud and one count of making false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims.
Tina Louise Yager, 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Megan Blair Benton, for one count of wire fraud and one count of making false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims. Yager was sentenced to 38 months incarceration with the Bureau of Prisons, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $14,447 to the Internal Revenue Service, and $2,403 to the Missouri Department of Revenue for a total amount of $16,850 in restitution.
In this case, Yager used her tax preparer position with a Jackson-Hewitt Tax Service in Republic, Mo., to abuse the personal financial information of others to prepare and transmit fraudulent income tax returns. As a result of Yager’s fraudulent documents, she embezzled $16,850 collectives from the IRS and Missouri Department of Revenue collectively. Yager would file tax returns for customers of Jackson-Hewitt without their knowledge or approval. Yager would then have any refunds directed to her instead of the proper taxpayer.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the Missouri Department of Revenue.
