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NJ man who chopped down neighbor’s trees ‘for better view of NYC’ fined $13,000 — and faces $1 million bill

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Published Feb. 27, 2024, 2:40 p.m. ET

A security exec who hacked off his New Jersey borough last year by cutting down his neighbor’s trees without a permit has to pay $13,000, a judge ruled.

But Grant Haber still has to get to the root of the problem: Local prosecutors say the damages could exceed $1 million after he’s forced to pay for the replacement and care of the felled trees.

Haber cut a plea deal that saw him fined for just 18 of the 32 trees that he paid a contractor to ax last March in wealthy Kinnelon, New Jersey.

Samih Shinway at the spot where his neighbor cut down more than a dozen trees
Samih Shinway at the spot where his neighbor cut down more than a dozen trees — even though they were on Shinway’s property. James Keivom
Haber's ritzy home, which he later sold for $1.8 million.
Haber’s ritzy home, which he later sold for $1.8 million. New York Post

Without the deal, he faced a fine of $32,000, plus a trespassing charge.

Haber, who declined to comment at the hearing, according to the Daily Record, allegedly cleared the forest so he could have a better view of the New York City skyline from his five-bed, six-bath, 5,000-square-foot Colonial mansion.

After the controversy, Haber made like a tree and left town.

Property records show he sold his Kinnelon home last November for a cool $1.8 million — $500,000 more than what he paid for it in 2014.

The neighbor whose property was denuded told the Record that he’s “never going to be 100% satisfied” — even though it’s been a year since he arrived home to a chorus of chainsaws carving their way through his seven-acre property.

“I always use the analogy that if you hire someone to put a hit out on somebody, they are just as liable as the person who did it,” Samih Shinway said after the hearing.

The case of the trees went viral last June after a friend of Kinnelon’s borough arborist posted a thread on X that detailed the incident.

“A friend who is a municipal arborist just called to tell me about a guy who cut down 32 big mature trees on his neighbor’s NJ property to get a better view of NYC,” user @SamAsIAm wrote.

Grant Haber in Kinnelon Municipal Court to answer charges of cutting down dozens of his neighbor's trees to improve the view from his property
Grant Haber, formerly of Kinnelon, New Jersey, was fined more than $13,000 for chopping down his neighbor’s trees allegedly to get a better view of the city skyline. William Westhoven/Daily Record / USA TODAY NETWORK
Grant Haber's property before the trees were removed.
Grant Haber’s property before the trees were removed. Coldwell Banker
Haber's property showing the opening after a contractor chopped the trees down.
Haber’s property showing the opening after a contractor was paid to chop the trees down. New York Post
Haber's property showing the opening after a contractor chopped the trees down.
The plea deal calls for Haber to pay for 18 of the 32 trees he paid a contractor to cut down. James Keivom

“He hired a guy who hired another guy. Cut them down and left the debris there,” he continued.

“I hope whoever this ass is, he can’t pay and they lien and sell his property, the value of which he probably figured would be increased so much, a $32K fine was worth it, to cover the cost.”

The thread went viral, collecting more than 4.2 million views since it was published.

Next up for Haber, a judge in the Morris County town will decide how much restitution he owes at a hearing scheduled for April 19.

On Monday, Haber, CEO of an antiterrorism company, told the court he would pay the fine within 30 days.