Stanford Law Grad in Tax Evasion Case Over Alleged Escort Earnings

Rather than face years of student loan payments, a Stanford Law School graduate is suspected of pursuing a nonlegal career to help cover the cost of her legal education.

Although 34-year-old Cristina Warthen has never been charged with prostitution, she is now facing a federal criminal case for allegedly "fail[ing] to pay taxes on more than $133,000 she earned as a prostitute in 2003, jetting off as a call girl for clients in Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York and other cities," reports the San Jose Mercury News. "The government has charged her with felony tax evasion for failing to pay about $25,000 in federal income taxes."

Writes the San Francisco Chronicle: "Starting in 2001, the year she graduated from law school, Warthen met with clients in numerous cities, including San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., authorities said. She used clients' payments for rent and bills as well as installments on more than $300,000 in student loans, authorities said."

Warthen, whose prior name was Cristina Schultz, is now the wife of David Warthen, a wealthy co-founder of the Ask Jeeves search engine, which is now known as Ask.com.

A hearing is scheduled later this month in federal court in San Jose.

Additional coverage:

Associated Press: "Feds file tax charges against alleged ex-hooker"

Updated at 4:20 p.m. to include information from San Francisco Chronicle article.