A Dutch appeals court has reportedly ordered international law firm Greenberg Traurig to pay nearly $17 million (14.5m euros) in damages to Tiësto following a years-long legal battle over incorrect U.S. tax advice provided to the legendary DJ in 2012.
According to multiple reports, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled that faulty guidance from a tax specialist at Greenberg Traurig caused Tiësto to unknowingly become a U.S. tax resident after spending too many days in the country that year. The incorrect advice allegedly led to improperly filed U.S. tax returns over several years.
The court determined that had Tiësto received proper guidance at the time, he likely would have adjusted his travel schedule to avoid triggering U.S. tax residency altogether. After discovering the issue in 2018, the artist voluntarily corrected the filings with U.S. authorities and ultimately paid additional taxes along with financial penalties.
The appeals court overturned an earlier lower court ruling that acknowledged the advice was incorrect but argued the DJ had not actually suffered financial harm. This week’s decision concluded that the artist did sustain damages directly connected to the law firm’s guidance, ordering Greenberg Traurig to cover nearly $17 million in damages in addition to roughly €35,000 in legal costs.
The case has ties to former celebrity tax attorney Frank Butselaar, who previously represented Tiësto and Afrojack before facing legal troubles of his own connected to tax fraud investigations in the United States. Earlier reporting alleged Butselaar helped several high-profile DJs shield millions from the IRS through offshore tax structures.
The ruling marks another major chapter in the increasingly public legal fallout surrounding celebrity tax advisors within the electronic music industry. Greenberg Traurig can still reportedly appeal the decision to the Dutch Supreme Court.
