Shrewsbury Woman Indicted For Filing False Tax Returns

BOSTON – In an indictment unsealed today, a Shrewsbury woman has been charged with underreporting income from her federal tax returns.

Roberta I. Crudale Blute, 55, was indicted on two counts of filing false tax returns for tax years 2007 and 2008.

The indictment alleges that Blute omitted from tax returns hundreds of thousands of dollars in income that she earned from numerous employers for tax years 2007 and 2008. Specifically, it is alleged Blute knowingly failed to report income she earned from four companies in 2007 and five companies in 2008.

The statutory maximum penalty is three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Blute is scheduled to have her initial appearance today at 2 pm in Worcester.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; John G. Collins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Vincent Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Division; and Susan J. Waddell, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, made the announcement.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda P.M. Strachan and Miranda Hooker of Ortiz’s Health Care Fraud Unit.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.