Billy Long worked with Lifetime Advisors, a firm that solicited users to declare a pandemic-era tax breaks that the I. R. S. said became a magnet for fraud. In his testifying before a House committee in earlier this year, the Internal Revenue Service director attempted to explain how a pandemic-era system had grown to be a costly state boondoggle. To encourage businesses and organizations that kept paying employees despite difficulties during the pandemic, Congress passed the employee engagement tax breaks. However, as the public health crisis faded and more and more businesses began to demand state aid, fueled by third-party companies who claimed they could receive millions, according to Mr. Werfel. In my opinion, the more extreme promoters and marketers started taking advantage of fair small businesses and convincing them that they were ready for a record they were not even qualified for,” Mr. Werfel told lawmakers in February. Seated behind Mr. Werfel in the hearing room next February was Billy Long, whom President-elect Donald J. Trump had afterwards title to guide the I. R. S. Mr. Long, a former Republican congressman, was in Washington working with Lifetime Advisors, a company that had developed a flourishing business encouraging organizations to say the credit. Mr. Long joined Lifetime’s system of marketers soon after leaving Congress in 2023, pitching companies and organizations in his former Missouri region, including swimming pool and roof contractors, on taking the credit. He often sported a helmet that said,” Beg me about E. R. T. C”. — the names for the record — as he sought out company. Mr. Long referred his customers to Lifetime, which may file an application for the tax breaks and retain a portion of the proceeds from the I. R. S. One agreement, which revealed Lifetime had received 20 % of the client’s charge again Lifetime made the claim and the remainder would be due upon receipt of the funds. We are having difficulty locating the article’s source. In your browser’s settings, choose enable JavaScript. Thank you for your patience as we verify entry. If you are in Audience mode please leave and log into your Times accounts, or listen for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience as we verify entry. Now a customer? Register in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.