EAST BOSTON — A Lynn woman faces tax fraud charges connected to sales from her East Boston diner.
Donna Marquado, 58, the owner of Donna’s Restaurant, was charged with 39 counts each of failure to pay taxes and filing false tax returns on more than $850,000 in sales at her diner. She allegedly charged diner patrons the meals tax but failed to report it, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
Marquado appeared in East Boston Municipal Court on Wednesday, but her arraignment was continued until April 18 after Judge John E. McDonald Jr. recused himself from the case because of a family connection with the defendant, prosecutors said.
Marquado had been summoned to court and was released until her next court date. The charges come after an investigation by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and State Police, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Marquado failed to report approximately $861,000 of taxable sales to the Department of Revenue from early 2012 to 2015. As a result, she allegedly failed to pay approximately $60,000 in taxes.
