Back in November, after his trial had already started, a former Biglaw tax partner pleaded guilty to one count of aiding or assisting in the filing of a false or fraudulent tax return. It seems that he was helping his high-profile clients — including DJs Tiësto and Afrojack — hide millions upon millions of dollars from the IRS, and it was likely that he could face time in federal prison for doing so. (Neither DJ has been charged.) Earlier this month, his sentence was handed down.
Frank Butselaar, who worked at Greenberg Traurig’s office in Amsterdam from the mid-2000s until late 2013, was charged in 2022 with tax-related crimes. According to prosecutors, he was involved in “a long running, international fraud scheme” meant to assist his famous clients conceal offshore income from the IRS. Butselaar — who has already been in custody for 21 months — was recently sentenced to 30 months in prison. Reuters has additional details:
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In a statement, Butselaar’s defense lawyers Kerry Lawrence and Samidh Guha said “our goal remains to get Mr. Butselaar home to his loved ones as soon as possible” and that the sentencing hearing was “a step in that direction.” …
“Butselaar knew that he was breaking the law,” prosecutors told the judge in a court filing before the sentencing. “But he did it anyway to boost his professional standing and build a client base in industries that are driven by word-of-mouth recommendations.”
Prosecutors are asking that Butselaar pay $19.25 million in restitution, while his defense team claims that he doesn’t owe any money to the IRS.
Judge sentences ex-Greenberg Traurig tax lawyer to prison [Reuters]
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Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.