LaPLACE, LA – Shawanda Nevers, a 49-year-old operator of multiple businesses in the LaPlace area, has confessed to a years-long scheme to defraud the U.S. government through falsified tax returns. Nevers, who also goes by Shawanda Hawkins, Shawanda Bryant, and Shawanda Johnson, pleaded guilty to four counts of preparing fraudulent returns, admitting to fabricating business losses, deductions, and credits for her clients between 2011 and 2016.
The scheme wasn’t a one-off lapse in judgment. Federal authorities revealed that Nevers continued to file bogus returns after being permanently barred from preparing federal tax returns by a judge in 2014. Operating under the names of 3LJ’s Café Services & Sports Bar LLC and 3LJ’s Industrial Service Solutions LLC, Nevers systematically sought refunds for clients who weren’t entitled to them, enriching herself and her clients at the expense of American taxpayers.
The scale of the fraud is staggering. Nevers admitted she owes a whopping $6,934,764 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). But the damage doesn’t stop there. She also owes $128,900 to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trust and a further $964 to the Social Security Administration, bringing the total amount of restitution to over $7 million. This isn’t just tax evasion; it’s a multi-faceted theft from vital government programs.
The investigation, a joint effort by special agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service, peeled back layers of deception. The feds were able to trace the fraudulent activity over several years, building a solid case against Nevers. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hayden Brockett and Loan “Mimi” Nguyen, alongside Trial Attorney Grace Albinson of the Tax Division, are now tasked with securing a fitting punishment for the defendant.
Nevers is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Court Judge Susie Morgan on November 15 for sentencing. She faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison per count – meaning a potential 12-year stretch behind bars. In addition to imprisonment, Nevers will likely be subjected to a period of supervised release, hefty monetary penalties, and, of course, the massive restitution she already acknowledges owing.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the collaborative investigative work, highlighting the dedication of the agents and prosecutors involved in bringing Nevers to justice. This case serves as a stark warning: attempting to defraud the government, especially after a prior injunction, will be met with a full and relentless response from federal law enforcement.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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