Palm Beach, FL — Dated October 23, 2023 — A federal jury in Atlanta, Georgia, has delivered a resounding verdict of acquittal for Clay Weibel, who was facing a litany of charges related to his alleged involvement in a billion-dollar syndicated conservation easement tax scheme spanning nearly two decades. The successful defense was orchestrated by internationally renowned Appraisal Expert Witnesses Steven N. Siegler ASA, FRICS, and Barry Shea, ASA, IFA, ARM, of the U.S.-based litigation appraisal firm of Equity Development Systems, Ltd. in collaboration with the esteemed Moore Tax Law Group, LLC.
Clay Weibel had been indicted on several counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns, and subscribing to false tax returns, all in connection with a highly complex and protracted tax shelter scheme involving syndicated conservation easements. The case drew national attention, reflecting the significance of this legal battle and the potential implications for similar cases across the country.
Appraisal Expert Witnesses Steven N. Siegler ASA, FRICS, and Barry Shea, ASA, IFA, ARM, both distinguished members of the international appraisal community, played pivotal roles in securing Weibel’s acquittal. They provided appraisal expert-witness testimony and litigation-support services that ultimately dismantled the prosecution’s case. The prosecution’s expert, Charles T. Brigden, MAI, CRE, FRICS of Jones Lang LaSalle, faced formidable opposition from Siegler and Shea, whose extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of appraisal practices and law proved instrumental in dismantling the government’s case.
The verdict in favor of Clay Weibel marks a significant milestone in this high-stakes legal battle and sets a precedent for future cases related to appraisals in syndicated conservation easements and tax shelters. It underscores the importance of having highly qualified appraisal expert witnesses who can provide crucial insights and evidence to the defense.
Messrs. Siegler and Shea have long-standing reputations for their expertise and integrity within the global valuation and legal communities, and their contribution to this case reaffirms their commitment to the pursuit of justice and fairness in legal matters of this nature.
For more information on this groundbreaking legal victory and the expert witnesses involved contact us: https://edsltd.com/contact-equity-development-systems-ltd/
About Appraisal Expert Witness Steven N. Siegler, ASA, FRICS
Mr. Siegler is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) with and was honored to serve as the founding International Chairman of Appraisal Review and Management (ARM) for the American Society of Appraisers from 2002-2011. Mr. Siegler co-authored and directed the implementation of the ASA’ Appraisal Review and Management Principals of Valuations series of courses and best practices that are now taught to professional valuers, government officials, legal experts, and many others throughout the world.
Additionally, Steven holds international valuation accreditation as a Member of the College of Fellows, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS) and he is the only RICS-accredited expert witness in the Western Hemisphere and one of only a handful of such expert witnesses in the world holding the much-coveted RICS Expert Witness Accreditation Service (EWAS) and Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) certifications.
Mr. Siegler holds TS Clearance with the U.S. Government and he is uniquely qualified to practice before U.S. Government agencies in national-security-related valuation and in other special matters.
Steven specializes and is most active in providing appraisal expert-witness testimony and litigation-support services to attorneys and law firms throughout the world. He is a Super Appraiser® Elite-Rated member of the peer-voted Super Appraisers® Global Network of international appraisal luminaries, and he has prevailed in billions of dollars at issue in some of the world’s most important—high-profile—and valuable valuation-related cases.