A St. Paul woman pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to filing more than $200,000 in false tax returns.

Cindy L. Linebaugh, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of false, fictitious and fraudulent claims for filing tax returns for $287,561.

Linebaugh admitted to committing the fraud in 2010 and 2011. She filed false tax returns on behalf of herself and others using fraudulent W-2s, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office.

The W-2s claimed that the people named in them worked for employers such as Northwest Airlines and the City of St. Paul.

Linebaugh admitted to filing about 73 false returns for tax years 2009 and 2010. She charged others between $100 and $300 for her services, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

CHAO XIONG