If someone could find evidence to support this, I think this would be even more damaging for his persona. All this fight "for principle" that comes down to $X million.
These easements aren’t usually documented, but it would be blindingly obvious to anyone who bought the property, especially anyone with an attorney worthy of representing a billionaire.
He absolutely knew, and figured he could bully, buy, litigate and delay his way out of it. I’m betting the whole strategy was written up before the sale was complete.