Harold Levine, a tax lawyer who helped Stephen Ross donate land to the University of Michigan — which led to a $33 million charitable tax deduction and an appearance in tax court — was sentenced on Wednesday to two years in federal prison for a multi-year tax evasion scheme, according to the Detroit Free Press. This evasion verdict, however, is unrelated to Ross and his tax deduction case this summer.
Between 2005 and 2012, Levine failed to report approximately $3 million to the Internal Revenue Service on his income tax returns. This income was reportedly generated from a tax shelter and related transactions, in conjunction with his partner and co-defendant Ronald Katz.
Katz also pleaded guilty to these charges and will appear in court for sentencing next month.
“Harold Levine stole first from his law firm partners and then from American taxpayers by filing tax returns that left out millions of dollars of income,” Joon H. Kim, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement in the Free Press. “Levine’s jail sentence should serve as a reminder that everyone — including tax lawyers — must be truthful in reporting their income, and deal honestly with, the tax authorities.”
Levine’s attorney did not return the Free Press’ requests for comment.