New Bedford Seafood Wholesaler Indicted for Tax Evasion

BOSTON – A former New Bedford seafood wholesaler was indicted yesterday for failing to file tax returns and filing a false tax return for his business’ income.

George F. Estudante, 57, formerly of Marion, was charged with two counts of failing to file tax returns and one count of filing a false income tax return.

According to court documents, Estudante failed to file an income tax return for 2010, even though his business, Basic Fisheries, received approximately $1,418,629 in payments. He also failed to file a tax return for 2011, although his business received approximately $1,607,726 in payments that year. Furthermore, Estudante falsely swore on his 2012 tax return that he had received approximately $533,078 in gross receipts when his bank account reflected that he had received over $740,000.

The charge of failing to file an income tax return provides for no greater than one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $25,000. The charge of filing a false income tax return provides for three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States William D. Weinreb and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen P. Heymann of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

Estudante pleaded guilty in federal court in Baltimore in 2014 to a single count of submitting false reports to NOAA after it was learned that in 2009, on thirteen separate occasions, he purchased scallops that were in excess of the federally permitted vessel's legal landing limit of 400 pounds.

--U.S. Attorney's Office