Blog: Miccosukee Tribe spent $50M for former attorney's work

Tuesday, December 6, 2011  

"The Miccosukee Indian tribe has severed their longtime business relationship with their former lawyer, Dexter Lehtinen and has filed a lawsuit against him for malpractice. The tribe members allege that Lehtinen gave them wrong legal advice on tax issues regarding their gambling profits that has now landed them in trouble with the IRS.

In the suit, the tribe disclosed that it had paid Lehtinen $50 million over the last 20 years and that Lehtinen’s “negligent misrepresentation” has resulted in about 250 tribe members being subjected to tax assessments, interest and penalties “in the millions of dollars.”

But Lehtinen, a former US attorney in South Florida claimed that the tribe’s legal action against him has “no basis”. Lehtinen said, “As the case proceeds against me, the public will see they have come after the wrong guy.”"

Get the Story:
Miccosukee Indians Sue Own Former Counsel over Tax Advice (JDSupra 12/5)

Related Stories:
Miccosukee Tribe suing former attorney for per capita advice (11/30)
Miccosukee Tribe disputes IRS over taxes on per capita payments (8/2)