Frank Butselaar, a 66-year-old international tax advisor from Naarden, Netherlands, is currently serving a 30-month prison sentence after pleading guilty on November 14, 2024, to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false or fraudulent tax return.

Butselaar, formerly a shareholder at the Amsterdam office of a major U.S.-based international law firm, orchestrated a scheme to conceal over $100 million in taxable income for ultra-high-net-worth EDM DJ clients, including world-famous DJs Tijs Verwest (DJ Tiesto) and Nick van de Wall (DJ Afrojack), as well as fashion models Patricia van der Vliet, and Daria Strokous.

By advising the creation of offshore structures and collaborating with partners at a management firm, he hid reportable income from U.S. authorities, despite warnings from six U.S.-based tax professionals that the income was taxable.

His actions led to significant tax losses for the IRS, with the specific fraudulent return filed for DJ Afrojack in 2013 highlighted in the charges. Butselaar’s sentencing, which took place on February 13, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel, underscores the government’s commitment to holding tax professionals accountable for fraudulent schemes.

The case, prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York under Damian Williams, highlights the extensive efforts of the IRS Criminal Investigation unit and international cooperation with Italian authorities, including the Ministero della Giustizia, Arma dei Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza, and Interpol-Rome.

Butselaar’s guilty plea followed a rigorous investigation that exposed his deliberate misrepresentation and concealment of information from U.S. tax professionals, enabling his clients to evade taxes on substantial earnings. The scheme’s unraveling serves as a warning to tax advisors and high-profile clients alike, emphasizing that no one is above the law. With a maximum potential sentence of three years, Butselaar’s 30-month term reflects the severity of his misconduct, and the case continues to fuel broader IRS efforts to crack down on offshore tax evasion schemes, particularly those involving celebrity and high-net-worth individuals.

Source – Justice.gov

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