July 14, 2017 — A former New Bedford seafood wholesaler was indicted Thursday on two counts of failing to file a tax return and one count of filing a false tax return.
George Esturdante, former owner of Basic Fisheries in Marion, didn’t file tax returns in 2010 or 2011 despite receiving more than $3 million in payments during the two-year period, according to court documents.
Estudante, who currently resides in Virginia, but lived in Marion, also falsely submitted his 2012 tax return, the indictment said.
The indictment states Estudante held a bank account at BayCoast Bank for Basic Fisheries. In 2010, he deposited $1,418,629 into the account. In 2011, he deposited $1,607,726 into the account, the indictment said.
In neither year did Estudante file a tax return.
Then in 2012, he swore on his return that he received approximately $533,078 in gross receipts when his bank account stated he received $744,461.41.
The charge of failing to file an income tax return involves a maximum of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $25,000