The Department of Justice announced March 1, 2022 that five tax shelter promoters and two appraisers have been charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and other crimes arising from their promotion of syndicated conservation easements which the indictment alleges were abusive tax shelters. The indictment was issued on February 24, 2022, and alleges that the co-conspirators promoted, marketed and sold partnership units and guaranteed a 4 to 1 tax deduction ratio to their clients and then provided spreadsheets to the appraisers which identified the conservation easement valuations necessary to provide the correct tax deduction ratio to their clients. The alleged activities date back as far as 2012.