Miccosukee Tribe puts dollar figure on per capita back taxes

Monday, February 13, 2012  

Members of the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida owe about $25.8 million for failing to pay taxes on gaming per capita payments, The Miami Herald reports.

The amount is based on figures that were provided in a lawsuit against former attorney Dexter Lehtinen. The tribe claims he provided bad advice about the taxation of the per capita payments.

The Internal Revenue Service audited over 250 tribal members from 2000 through 2005. Of those, 117 were issued “notices of deficiency," The Herald reported.

Those members allegedly owe $9.4 million in taxes to the IRS. With penalties and interest, the amount comes $25.8 million.

Lehtinen is a former U.S. Attorney. The tribe says it paid his firm $50 million over 20 years.

Get the Story:
Miccosukee Indians: We owe the IRS nearly $26 million, and our lawyer Dexter Lehtinen is to blame (The Miami Herald 2/13)

Related Stories:
Blog: Miccosukee Tribe spent $50M for former attorney's work (12/6)
Miccosukee Tribe suing former attorney for per capita advice (11/30)
Miccosukee Tribe disputes IRS over taxes on per capita payments (8/2)