United States v. EcoVest Capital Inc., et al

  1. March 24, 2020

    DOJ Denies Violating Privacy In Announcing $2B Tax Scheme

    U.S. Department of Justice press releases announcing a $2 billion conservation easement scheme did not improperly disclose a real estate appraiser's tax information because the material was already in the public domain, the department has told a federal court. 

  2. March 10, 2020

    Appraiser Argues Release Of Tax Info Improper In $2B Dispute 

    A Georgia federal court should consider an appraiser's argument alleging the U.S. government improperly disclosed his tax return information in a $2 billion suit involving the purveyance of conservation easement deductions, the appraiser has told the court.

  3. January 29, 2020

    US Can't Strike Co.'s Disputed Defenses In $2B Easement Row

    A real estate business and individuals accused of generating $2 billion in illicit conservation easement deductions may continue asserting several affirmative defenses against the U.S., as a Georgia federal court ruled Wednesday against the government's bid to strike them.

  4. January 27, 2020

    US Opposes Limiting Discovery In $2B Easement Deduction Case

    The U.S. should be allowed to dig into 96 conservation easement transactions it considers abusive as it builds a $2 billion tax deductions case against a Georgia real estate company and others, the government has told a Georgia federal court.

  5. January 16, 2020

    US Subpoenas Excessive In $2B Easement Case, Court Told

    Third-party government subpoenas seeking information on an alleged scheme by a Georgia real estate company to generate $2 billion in illicit conservation easement tax deductions are overbroad and should be limited, the company told a Georgia federal court.

  6. January 08, 2020

    Conservation Easement Promoter Slams DOJ Lawsuit Delay

    A real estate company accused by the U.S. of illicitly generating $2 billion in tax deductions through abusive conservation easement deals criticized the Department of Justice on Wednesday, saying the department was unnecessarily drawing out its case.

  7. December 10, 2019

    Judge Narrows $2B Syndicated Conservation Easement Row

    A Georgia federal judge on Tuesday disagreed with the government that a former real estate business owner accused of participating in a $2 billion conservation easement scheme acted as an appraiser, dismissing the claim but keeping several others.

  8. August 02, 2019

    US Subpoena Requests Limited In $2B Easement Fraud Case

    The U.S., which had sought dozens of third-party document subpoenas in a suit accusing a Georgia real estate company of a $2 billion conservation easement tax fraud, will be initially limited to 10 subpoenas, a Georgia federal judge ruled Friday.

  9. April 10, 2019

    Keep Appraiser In $2B Conservation Tax Fraud Suit, US Says

    Allegations against an Alabama land appraiser over his role in a $2 billion fraud scheme involving conservation easements should not be dismissed since the government's accusations are detailed and specific, the U.S. recently told a Georgia federal court.

  10. April 05, 2019

    US Fights Bid To Ax $2B Conservation Tax Scheme Suit

    The government has sufficiently alleged that a Georgia real estate company and others participated in an illegal scheme to generate more than $2 billion in land conservation tax deductions and the case should not be dismissed, the U.S. said Friday.