Longview tax preparers plead guilty to $5 million federal fraud

Two Longview, Texas residents, Antwon Pierre Sadler and Raegan Samone Hagler, have pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges involving tax fraud. Prosecutors state the pair worked at F. A. S. T. Financial Firm, a business owned by Marneitha Scott, to create fraudulent entries on client tax returns.

The scheme involved claiming business losses for clients who had no actual businesses. This conduct resulted in an estimated tax loss of at least $5 million between 2019 and 2022. The investigation was conducted by the National Fraud Enforcement Division and the IRS. The defendants face potential sentences of up to five years in federal prison, along with fines and restitution.