Munitions company CEO who cut down his New Jersey neighbor’s trees ‘to improve view of NYC skyline’ fined $13,000 and faces $1 million in potential damages

A New Jersey CEO who cut down 32 of his neighbor’s trees so he could improve the view of New York City from his mansion had his fines cut in half, but still faces a bill that could cost him $1 million.

Grant Haber reached a plea deal for violating local law in the town of Kinnelon, New Jersey, requiring the acquisition of a permit before cutting down trees after he allegedly hired people to cut down 32 mature trees on his property. neighbor Samih Shinway.

He initially faced fines of up to $32,000, but the settlement reduced them to about $13,194.

Haber may not be finished paying it, however, as the township attorney believes he will have to foot the bill to replace and care for the downed trees to the tune of more than $1 million.

“We certainly face substantial sanctions,” Kim Kassar said in October.

“But those numbers pale in comparison to potential restitution claims, which approach or may exceed seven figures.”

Haber, a security executive for a counterterrorism company, could use the $1.8 million he sold the Kinnelon home for, after purchasing the property for $1.3 million in 2014, in November 2023, few months after the accusations.

Shinway, for its part, says it will never be “100 percent satisfied” with the sanctions.

“I always use the analogy that if you hire someone to beat someone up, they’re just as responsible as the person who did it,” Shinway said. The record.

When asked if he planned to sue Haber, he simply said, “I can’t answer that question at this time.”

Haber told the court he would pay the $13,000 fine within the next 30 days and now faces restitution hearings at the county level. The next hearing is set for April 19.

Photographs taken on the property last July show the great mess left behind by those hired to carry out the work.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, Shinway said he came home one day to find a team of men working on removing trees from his property.

He said: ‘When I got home on February 27 I heard chainsaws and drove my four-wheeler to see where the noise was coming from.

‘I saw a tree chipper and four men on my property and they were also on my cousin’s property.

Haber tried to act as if it were a big mix-up. The workers immediately blamed him and he denied everything and told everyone to leave.

‘Haber came out and said ‘isn’t this a disaster? Who would do this?’ Since he cut down the trees there have been many crows and soil erosion.

‘When I was inside with the ranger, he let his two dogs out and they were harassing us.

“He was yelling for the dogs from 50 feet away, but he didn’t actually come for them.

‘The fine is $32,000, but the estimated damages are around $1.9 million.

‘An unsigned, typewritten letter was dropped into our mailbox saying that he is not a bad neighbor and that he moved here because he loves nature. Otherwise, he has had nothing to say.

A large part of the forest has been completely cleared, opening up a section of the forest.

John Linson, the forester for Kinnelon Township, New Jersey, said the messenger’s diary that had imposed fines on Haber for his alleged actions.

Linson told the news site: “I can only state that 32 trees were removed without permission.”

Their home is complete with grounds that stretch to just under seven acres and has an outdoor pool with a waterfall, as well as a gym and games room.

Haber is the founder of American Innovations, a New York-based company that works with munitions and revolutionized an IED (improvised explosive device) detection kit.