“As two separate investigations into the Trump Organization heat up, a series of subpoenas issued by the New York attorney general and the Manhattan district attorney shows how prosecutors are probing one particular land deal. The subpoenas, which have not been publicly released until now, have been issued during the past 18 months to three towns just north of NYC. Investigators asked for a trove of documents related to Donald Trump’s failed attempts to develop a luxury golf course on a 212-acre, forested estate that spans across those three towns and includes several mansions. The requested documents and subsequent court filings show that investigators are examining whether The Trump Organization inflated the value of the property for a charitable tax write-off.”

“The Daily Beast has learned the state Attorney General’s Office issued a round of subpoenas in November 2019. Investigators demanded copies of ‘zoning, property planning, or other building and construction permissions’ sought by Trump’s firm for the property, Seven Springs LLC. At question is the dense forest that surrounds a towering, 60-room, century-old, sandstone chateau that includes three pools, carriage houses, and is imposing enough to justify its own forecourt and fountain. When locals fought Trump’s building plans, Trump decided to give away his land rights to a conservation group – allowing him to take a hefty $21.1 million tax deduction in 2015, according to a filing made by investigators last August. But the pivotal question remains: Was the gifted land really worth that much if nothing was built on it?” – Daily Beast.