Beaufort man ordered to pay $3 million in restitution for tax evasion

A 78 year-old man was ordered to pay the IRS $3,097,582 in restitution after pleading guilty of tax evasion.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)— A 78 year-old man was ordered to pay the IRS $3,097,582 in restitution after pleading guilty of tax evasion.

Michael Sturms was sentenced to serve five years of probation after he failed to file individual income tax returns from 2007 through 2012.

He only filed the returns in 2014 as part of divorce proceedings from his then-wife, say authorities.

Officials say he attempted to evade payments by hiding funds that he received from a large breach-of-contract settlement.