Conservation Easement Investment | Carolina Bays Resort Holdings, EcoVest Capital

Are you concerned about your investment in Carolina Bays Resort Holdings LLC? If so, the securities attorneys at The White Law Group may be able to help you.

The White Law Group is investigating potential securities fraud claims against broker dealers or sales agents selling conservation easements (tax shelter land deals) to unsuspecting investors.

Syndicated conservation easements are private placement investments that promise tax deductions possibly worth four to four-and-a-half times a person’s investment. That means an investor could hypothetically turn a $100,000 investment into $400,000 or more of tax deductions.

These syndicated conservation easements are often sold through independent broker-dealers or directly by attorneys and CPAs who create the syndications, according to industry observers.

Carolina Bays Resort Holdings LLC reportedly filed a form D to raise capital from 164 investors beginning on December 29, 2014 and the total offering amount sold was purportedly $11,276,824, with the minimum amount accepted by any outside investor of $12,439. The filing states that the offering has closed and no additional units will be sold.

Sales commissions and fees on the offering were estimated at $1,018,754, approximately 11% of the offering amount, according to SEC filings.

EcoVest Capital is the managing entity, according to the Form D.

The SEC Form D indicates that sales compensation was paid to the following recipients: The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc., Triad Advisors, Whitehall-Parker Securities, Inc., Arque Capital LTD and First Allied Securities, Inc.

The IRS has reportedly seen abuses of this tax provision and it is currently investigating taxpayers who are using questionable appraisals, and taking inappropriately large deductions for easements.

Investors who received charitable contribution deductions of more than 2.5 times their investment could possibly be audited, and potentially even hit with a revised tax bill.

Investigating Potential Securities Fraud Lawsuits

Prior to making recommendations to an individual investor, brokerage firms are required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to disclose all the risks of an investment. Recommendations should only be made if the investment is suitable for an individual investor given their age, investment objections, investment experience and risk tolerance.

Brokerage firms that do not perform adequate due diligence on an investment and/or make unsuitable recommendations can be held accountable for investment losses through FINRA arbitration.

If you have suffered investment losses in Carolina Bays Resort Holdings LLC, the securities attorneys at The White Law Group may be able to help you. For a free consultation with a securities attorney, please call The White Law Group at 1-888-637-5510.

The White Law Group, LLC is a national securities fraud, securities arbitration, investor protection, and securities regulation/compliance law firm with offices in Chicago, Illinois and Franklin, Tennessee. To learn more about The White Law Group visit www.whitesecuritieslaw.com.