Pittsburgh entrepreneur Carlow pleads guilty in tax case

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A high-profile Pittsburgh entrepreneur who once ripped off PNC Bank for more than $31 million in a check-kiting scheme has pleaded guilty to obstructing efforts by the Internal Revenue Service to collect more than $6.2 million in unpaid taxes and other penalties stemming from the earlier case.

Michael Carlow, 61, on Friday admitted to buying his way into several small businesses and then arranging to have his girlfriend paid either as a principle or consultant with the understanding that the money would be passed on to him.

Federal prosecutors said Carlow, of Upper St. Clair, did that to shield his income from the IRS who wanted to seize it to repay the previous $6.2 million debt.

Carlow faces up to three years in prison when he's sentenced Oct. 4 and his defense lawyer said he still must make arrangements to pay his IRS debts.

WPXI