A Florida attorney, Michael L. Meyer of Davie, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax evasion related to his involvement in an illegal tax shelter scheme. The scheme revolved around fraudulent charitable deductions, as per court documents.
From 2013 to 2021, Meyer orchestrated and sold the “Ultimate Tax Plan,” designed to help high-income individuals evade taxes by claiming false charitable deductions. He falsely represented to his clients that they could reduce their taxes through donations to charities he controlled, while retaining control over the assets. Meyer provided clients with boilerplate transaction paperwork, creating the illusion of legitimate donations. Additionally, he advised clients on ways to access these ‘donated’ assets through tax-free loans and repurchase them at a reduced rate. In some cases, Meyer backdated documents to claim donations on prior tax returns.
In April 2018, the Justice Department filed a civil suit against Meyer to stop him from promoting the scheme. During this litigation, Meyer produced false, backdated documents for his clients and the Department in response to subpoenas. Despite being permanently enjoined from selling the Ultimate Tax Plan in April 2019, Meyer had already made over $10 million from this scheme, which he spent on luxury properties and vehicles, including Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, Mercedes Benzes, a Bentley, and a Ferrari.
While a sentencing date is yet to be set, Meyer faces a maximum of five years in prison for each charge. He is also subject to supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties, which will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.