Italy extradits Tiesto and Afrojack’s Dutch tax adviser to US

A Dutch tax consultant was deported from Italy to the United States. This has been decided by the Perugia Court The Financial Times (FD). He is suspected in the US of organizing tax evasion.

The man was picked up by police at his holiday home in Italy yesterday, his wife confirmed to the newspaper. He says he was allowed to pack a bag under the direction of five officers and was taken directly to jail. “We don’t have time to say goodbye to him.”

The US had an outstanding warrant against the tax advisor. In March he was arrested at his holiday home a day after arriving in Italy. Subsequently, the United States requested his extradition. The consultant has been under house arrest since his arrest in March, his lawyer told FD.

The court ruled yesterday that he can be extradited to the United States. There he faces several years in prison. Later this summer he will be transferred from the Italian cell to a New York prison.

The tax adviser’s lawyers lament the turn of events. His Dutch lawyer noted yesterday that the decision to detain him was “alleged to be a flight risk”. After all, he says he was already under house arrest.

His Italian lawyers also question the American system. According to them, the authorities in the US were waiting for him to arrive in Italy because the chance of success in the extradition request to the Netherlands would be small.

During an extradition request between the US and Italy, a Dutch citizen has fewer rights than when it happens between the US and the Netherlands, the FD says. For example, counsel may not be allowed to serve any sentence in the Netherlands.

He has been a tax advisor to many world-renowned stars, including DJs Afrojack and Tiesto. He has many famous TV presenters and photo models in his client base. The New York attorney accused him of “creating sophisticated international tax avoidance schemes for high net worth clients with worldwide income.”

He is said to have built tax structures from Cyprus for artists who later went to live in America. For example, he would have lost the US IRS the ability to tax $100 million in income from artists.

His US counsel tells FD that it will be at least two years before the tax counsel comes to court. Until then, he is being held in a US prison.