A New Hampshire business owner has admitted to filing a false tax return. Denise Thibodeau of Berlin, who ran North Country Angels, a home health care company, pleaded guilty in federal court on September 17.
Court documents and statements reveal that Thibodeau operated her business by employing caregivers to assist mostly elderly clients needing in-home care. She required clients to pay her with checks made out to cash, which she then cashed herself. Thibodeau kept part of the money as income and paid the rest to caregivers in cash, without withholding Social Security, Medicare, or federal income taxes as required by law. This practice concealed both the wages paid and her own income from authorities.
Thibodeau’s tax filings significantly underreported her earnings. Between 2018 and 2020, she reported only $35,000 in gross receipts for her business when it actually brought in nearly $1.7 million.
Sentencing is set for January 7, 2026. Thibodeau could face up to three years in prison along with supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. The final sentence will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro from the Justice Department’s Tax Division is prosecuting.
