Mendon Resident Sentenced For Filing False Tax Returns

Boston – A Mendon man received a six month sentence of community confinement for filing a false income tax return.

David Altavilla, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Hillman to six months of community confinement to be followed by six months of home confinement, a $10,000 fine, and $141,710 in restitution to the IRS. In October 2012, Altavilla pleaded guilty to filing a false income tax return. He has already paid the restitution in full.

Altavilla operated a blog called “HOTHARDWARE.COM,” which contained contributor articles reviewing computers, computer components, and other related items. Altavilla sold advertising space on the site. For the calendar years 2006, 2007, and 2008, he under reported the total amount of gross receipts he took in from advertisers, resulting in an under reporting of his tax liability.

U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Department of Justice Tax Division and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Department of Justice Trial Attorney Sean R. Delaney.