Springfield Woman Sentenced to Prison for Wire Fraud and False Claims

Tina Louise Yager, 36, of Springfield, Illinois, was sentenced in federal court in the Western District of Missouri on May 6, 2026, for one count of wire fraud and one count of making false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims.

The charges stemmed from a scheme in which Yager used interstate wire communications to execute fraud and submitted false claims to the federal government. The Department of Justice did not release the specific dollar amount of loss or the identity of any victims in its May 6 press release.

Prior to sentencing Yager was free on bond. The new judgment imposes a term of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Full restitution is required though the exact figure was not disclosed in the release. The sentence takes effect immediately upon issuance of the judgment.

The case now moves to collection of any financial penalties and monitoring during supervised release. Federal probation officers must enforce the release conditions, including any ban on new credit applications or restrictions on employment that involves financial responsibility.

If restitution remains unpaid at the end of supervision, the Department of Justice can continue civil collection efforts. The conviction also carries collateral consequences such as disqualification from certain federal benefits or programs that bar participants with fraud convictions.

This marks the latest individual wire-fraud prosecution concluded in the Western District of Missouri. The Department of Justice has pursued similar cases involving false claims submitted through electronic means, each requiring defendants to repay losses and serve post-release supervision. The statutes cited are 18 U.S.C. § 1343 for wire fraud and 18 U.S.C. § 287 for false claims.