News & Analysis as of

Department of Justice (DOJ) Conservation Easements

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

DOJ Settles Conservation Easement Case

The Department of Justice has reached a settlement in Townley, a case concerning a $43 million conservation easement deduction. Earlier this year, I wrote an article highlighting a case in which, by most measures, the IRS...more

Polsinelli

CPA gets 25 years for Promoting Conservation Easement Deductions

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Judge Batten, Chief United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia, handed down lengthy sentences in the first-of-its-kind criminal trial related to syndicated conservation easements (“SCEs”). On January...more

Polsinelli

Conservation Easements: Palpable Fraud or Honest Mistakes? A Federal Jury Returns a Split Verdict

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On September 22, 2023 a federal jury convicted two promoters, CPA Jack Fisher and attorney James Sinnott, in the Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) first criminal trial over allegedly abusive syndicated conservation easements...more

Polsinelli

Government Asserts the Defendants Lied and Cheated the IRS out of over $1.3 Billion: The Government’s Opening Statement of the...

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The first criminal prosecution of syndicated conservation easement promoters began on July 18, 2023, with the government laying out its case against defendants Jack Fisher, James Sinnott, and Clayton Weibel.  A Department of...more

Polsinelli

First Criminal Syndicated Conservation Easement Trial Begins this Week

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Polsinelli’s Government Investigations and Tax attorneys continue to follow the well-known Fisher case, the Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) first criminal indictment related to syndicated conservation easements. The trial is...more

Polsinelli

Appraiser Pleads Guilty to Fraud in Syndicated Conservation Easement Case

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Polsinelli’s Government Investigations and Tax attorneys continue to follow the well-known Fisher case, the Department of Justice’s ("DOJ") first criminal indictment related to syndicated conservation easements. Walter...more

Polsinelli

New York Alleges Trump Procured Inflated Appraisals for Conservation Easements

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On September 21, 2022, the New York State Attorney General Tish James filed a civil lawsuit against former President Donald Trump and the Trump organization alleging fraud and misrepresentation. The Complaint described a...more

Polsinelli

The DOJ and IRS Focus Enforcement on Syndicated Conservation Easements

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Earlier this year, the Department of Justice filed the first criminal indictment of promoters, appraisers and accountants connected to an alleged scheme to create syndicated conservation easements. The move followed increased...more

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass

Happy New Year’s Tidings for Land Trusts and Other Conservation Advocates

The Department of Justice has finally filed a civil complaint against certain promoters who have been spearheading syndicated easements to the tune of over $2 billion in claimed federal tax deductions using grossly inflated...more

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