Gerson Preston Recognizes Partner Melisse Burstein as she speaks with The Miami Herald about Tax Issues

“How much money did Jeffrey Loria make from the Marlins? County wants his tax returns.”

Melisse Burstein, a forensic accountant and partner at Gerson Preston in Miami, noted that the Loria partnership that owned the Marlins reported nearly $300 million in taxes from the 2017 sale.

The $297 million income-tax figure was included on a five-page summary of the transaction that Loria’s lawyers delivered to Miami-Dade earlier this year in announcing taxpayers would not share in any profits.

Since taxes are paid on profitable sales, Burstein said reporting such a significant tax bill suggests a hefty profit from the transaction. “It can’t be a loss because he paid capital-gains tax,” she said.

But Burstein, who is not involved in the suit, also said the five-page summary doesn’t provide the kind of details she or another accountant would need to see if Loria’s tax claims are legitimate. “They’re going to have to provide something to justify that number,” she said.

– http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article204443939.html