Blogger Convicted of Evading Taxes on Ad Revenue

A part-time blogger has been convicted of filing a false income tax return that left out nearly $142,000 in taxes on the income he earned on the side from selling advertising space on his blog.

David Altavilla, 45, who operates an Internet blog called HotHardware.com, pleaded guilty Wednesday before Judge Timothy S. Hillman in a Boston federal court to charges of filing a false income tax return.

According to prosecutors, Altavilla sold advertising space on the site, which contained contributor articles reviewing computers, computer components and related items. For 2006, 2007 and 2008, Altavilla allegedly underreported the total amount of gross receipts he took in from advertisers, resulting in an underreporting of his tax liability.

Altavilla faces up to three years in prison, but as part of the plea deal, he will instead pay $141,710 in restitution to the IRS.

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