Wealthy homeowner carved MASSIVE hole into beautiful Washington forest claiming it was for his family's safety...only for his greedy secret to be exposed

Published: 01:43, 23 April 2026 | Updated: 01:43, 23 April 2026 A wealthy real estate agent who removed more than 100 trees from a Washington State forest to 'keep his family safe' is now accused of doing it for profit, court documents reveal. Vlad Popach, 34, of Issaquah, was hit with a multimillion-dollar lawsuit last year after allegedly cutting down 142 trees on protected land in Grand Ridge Park, leaving a massive gap now visible from Interstate 90. He claimed that removing dozens of decades-old trees was necessary to protect his 4,500-sq-ft home and his three children, alleging that trees were continuing to fall around the property. But court records obtained by The Seattle Times reveal that Popach has since raised his home's asking price by more than $1 million. Just weeks ago, his residence in the private Highlands neighborhood appeared on his real estate website with a $6.5 million price tag - $1.5 million higher than its earlier off-market listing.  He touted the 'once-in-a-lifetime' views of West Tiger Mountain as a standout feature of the property, which is now listed as pending.  Now, county attorneys allege that his so-called 'safety' concerns were merely a cover, arguing that the giant clearing was intended to boost the property's value by creating some of the best mountain views in the neighborhood. 'Remarkably, this concern about the danger of hazardous trees falling on his residence is wholly absent from the Zillow listing, choosing to highlight the scenic "vistas" offered by the property instead,' attorneys said, according to the outlet. Vlad Popach, a wealthy real estate agent who removed more than 100 trees from a Washington State forest, is accused of doing so to boost his home's value due to the 'mountain views' The final bill for damages could range from tens of thousands to nearly $7 million, depending on whether the court accepts the county’s assessment or Popach’s independent expert. While a civil trial is expected to begin in January, prosecutors are still weighing whether to pursue potential criminal charges.  The massive clearing in the once-dense forest came to light after a downslope neighbor from the Highlands, Alex Brown, installed a trail camera that alerts his phone when it detects movement.  'Pretty much everyday we see a bear coming by that camera, bobcats, cougars, the occasional mountain lions,' Brown told KING 5 News last year. But one day, the footage captured something unusual: a large log barreling down the slope like a torpedo. 'To see a tree just flying down the hill like a javelin was pretty alarming,' he told the outlet. Brown tracked the trail of destruction up the steep hillside to a sprawling development off Issaquah’s Grand Ridge Drive, where he found dozens of trees had been chopped and sawed down. Altogether, 72 trees were stripped of their limbs, 45 were cut down entirely, 18 were topped and seven more were damaged - all of them once standing in the county’s Grand Ridge Park, according to The Seattle Times. Popach was hit with a lawsuit last year after allegedly cutting down 142 trees on protected land in Grand Ridge Park to 'protect his family,' leaving a massive gap now visible from Interstate 90 The now-empty space opened a view between three mansions on the hill and the mountains to the south, visible from the busy interstate below.  Caitlin McNulty, a nearby resident who often walks the local trails with her son Julian, told KING 5 that a tree catapulting from the top of the mountain stopped just a few hundred feet from her home. 'It was just pretty scary because this is a part of our regular little Julian loop that we come and walk most days,' she told the outlet. Brown ultimately reported the incident to King County, triggering an investigation that initially estimated the damage at approximately $2.3 million, according to The Seattle Times. In June, a civil lawsuit was filed against Popach seeking damages for the alleged destruction, as well as concerns that he could try to avoid payment if he loses the case. The lawsuit extends beyond Popach, also naming his wife and two neighbors as defendants, both of whom work in the real estate business. It is not in question that Popach, a top-producing lead broker at Compass in Bellevue, hired a mystery company to cut down hundreds of trees, the outlet reported. He has not only admitted it to several news outlets, but also in court filings. While refusing to name the crews he hired, he has continued to defend the work, insisting the trees were a safety hazard and claiming an automated county phone line gave him 'verbal permission.' The final bill for damages could range from tens of thousands to nearly $7 million, as prosecutors continue to decide whether to pursue criminal charges The county ultimately rejected his claim and reiterated its accusation that the motive was driven by personal financial gain.  Then, earlier this year, another real estate agent came forward with testimony that appeared to back up some of the county’s claims, according to the outlet.  The agent said that in late 2023 - before the clearing was exposed and construction on the home was finished - Popach said he would accept $5 million for the property in an off-market sale.  Once the trees were gone, the price only went up. According to the lawsuit, photos Popach texted to the real estate agent showed off the mountain views and his luxury family home. In an August exchange shown to the court, Popach called his property the best in the neighborhood and 'certainly the only one with great light exposure and views. All else are dark and gloomy.' Popach allegedly said the upgrades he had made had increased the property’s value, and for that reason, he was now seeking $6.5 million.  He said that since he was not actively looking to sell his property at the time, he felt more comfortable setting his own price, stating in a text that he was not 'interested in negotiations.' Court documents revealed that Popach raised his home's asking price by more than $1 million after cutting the trees, highlighting the 'once-in-a-lifetime' views of nature Court documents showed that the sale ultimately fell through, but by April of this year, the property was officially listed as a featured home on Popach's website.  He claimed he is looking to sell because his family is growing and they now need more space than the property allows, according to records obtained by the outlet. Meanwhile, King County attorneys argued that it 'defies belief' that Popach, who describes himself as a 'specialist in luxury residential real estate,' did not consider whether the home he built was suitable for children before moving in.  They also wrote that he only began to make efforts to sell his home after the civil suit began to unfold.  Attorneys argue that after 'enjoying one summer with their newly cleared views,' Popach now intends to 'flip' the home, having listed it publicly in March - 'a time of year commonly considered ideal for listings and sales.' His neighbor, McNulty, told KING 5 that she believes Popach likely thought he would never be caught. 'I imagine they thought there was a really low probability of anyone finding out. It would have been really hard for someone to have known this happened and I think the only reason we did is we had that wildlife camera there,' she told the outlet. Other residents have since flooded Popach’s social media accounts with comments criticizing his tree-cutting efforts and his businesses.  'Way to go in cutting all those trees. You are a POS!' one comment read. Another said: 'You believed you had permission?!! F*** outta here! Hope you have your day in court and have to pay per tree.'  'Cutting down trees for a view. Nice. I will never recommend anyone to you,' a third wrote. One user added: 'You should be so f***ing ashamed. I hope cosmic karma catches up with you and your entire family are made to suffer.'  Throughout the lawsuit, Popach has maintained that the trees posed a hazard if they were to fall, and he hired his own independent expert, consulting arborist Favero Greenforest.  In the company’s report, he noted that the trees that were not fully cut down are now on track to die in the coming decades. Greenforest wrote: 'There are no recreational trails or other high value targets within striking distance of these trees and I see no reason to remove them,' according to the outlet. The company’s own estimates for damage, including cleanup, reseeding grass and replacement trees, came to nearly $19,700 - substantially lower than the county’s estimate.  Altogether, 72 trees were stripped of their limbs, 45 were cut down entirely, 18 were topped and seven more were damaged State law allows damages to be tripled, which could push the total to nearly $7 million if the county’s estimate is upheld and Popach loses at trial. If Greenforest is correct, the total could be closer to $60,000.  In April, county attorneys said Popach might sell his home and move the proceeds beyond the court’s reach, prompting them to seek a 'writ of attachment' to hold any funds in trust until the case is resolved.  Popach said he has no intention of fleeing or hiding proceeds from the sale of his home, saying he and his family have established roots in King County and do not plan to leave.  In the end, the judge sided with Popach and denied the county’s motion on April 15.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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