Former Mo. tax preparer faces federal charges

ST. LOUIS -- A former Southeast Missouri tax preparer is facing federal charges for filing nearly 100 returns that underreported income, and having the refunds placed into her own account.

Federal prosecutors say 41-year-old Cynthia Raymond, formerly of Jackson, was indicted Wednesday on 10 federal felony counts. She was arrested Thursday at the home where she now lives in Kansas City, Kan.

Raymond is accused of including false deductions on the returns and providing clients with a different return than what she filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Prosecutors say she directed payment of the false refunds to her own account. Authorities believe Raymond received $103,000 of direct deposits into her account from the false refunds.