- A former lawyer for DC United accused owner Jason Levien of cheating on his taxes.
- But the DC Attorney General concluded the suit was meritless and got it dismissed.
A whistleblower case filed by the former in-house lawyer for Major League Soccer team DC United that accused team owner Jason Levien of cheating on his taxes has been thrown out.
Attorney Christopher Deubert claimed in lawsuits filed in Washington, DC, and New York that Levien cheated on his taxes by falsely claiming he lived in Florida, Insider reported last year.
But a District of Columbia judge last week granted the DC Attorney General's request to have the lawsuit dismissed, saying the AG "reasonably concluded" that the case was "pointless" after a thorough investigation, according to an October 12 ruling.
"The District has represented that its Office of Tax and Revenue conducted a 'monthslong audit,'" that included interviews with Deubert and reviews of documents, the judge wrote. "This investigation led to the conclusion that this action entirely lacks merit."
In addition to owning DC United, Levien reportedly owns pieces of Swansea City, the English football club, and the Brisbane Bullets, part of Australia's National Basketball League.
Levien filed tax returns for past years and paid about $250,000 to the District in 2022, according to one of Deubert's filings. But DC tax officials concluded that Levien actually didn't owe a dime; Kya Henley, a spokesperson for Levien, said he received a refund check.
Deubert has said in legal papers that DC authorities conducted a shoddy investigation and failed to interview relevant witnesses. He told Insider that he is "considering" an appeal.
Levien said in a statement that Deubert's claims were "offensive" and said he was committed to DC.
"This case wasted more than two years of the District government's time," he said.
Deubert's case in New York — related to several years predating Levien's move to DC — remains pending. Levien has denied those claims as well.