North American Land Trust, a nonprofit based in Pennsbury Township, has found itself in the spotlight amidst the New York Attorney General’s investigation into Donald Trump’s dealings, writes Jacob Adelman for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

The investigation has labeled Trump’s $21 million tax deduction for preserving his Seven Springs Estate a part of a pattern of “fraudulent” schemes that allowed him to falsely inflate the value of his properties, thus misleading the IRS, insurers, and banks. 

Trump qualified for a tax break on the estate under an agreement with North American Land Trust. NALT agreed to be the custodian of Trump’s promise not to develop much of his estate. 

This is only one of many similar deals for the trust. In the Philadelphia region, the nonprofit allegedly helped some of the homestead buyers at the Ardrossan estate in Radnor receive huge federal tax breaks for “donating” land only they can access.

Meanwhile, the late Andrew Johnson, NALT’s founder, said in an interview last year that the nonprofit had played no role in determining the financial value of Trump’s estate.

“The land trust can’t control the appraiser,” he said. 

Read more about the investigation in The Philadelphia Inquirer.