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Neenah woman will spend four years in prison for tax fraud scheme

Posted at 2:04 PM, Mar 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-15 15:04:29-04

A Neenah woman was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges related to a tax fraud scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Billie Jo Bottine, 39, pled guilty to filing numerous false federal income tax returns using other people's identities.

She was also ordered to pay $186,414 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

Bottine filed more than 70 false federal income tax returns in the names of 32 different people between 2009 and 2014, according to the plea agreement.

Bottine unlawfully used the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of these people, and created fake W2 forms and Schedule C forms that she attached to filings, the court said. 

These types of tax fraud offenses are very serious crimes that call for significant sentences, Chief United State District Judge William C. Griesbach said when handing down the sentence.