The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has placed Deniz Üresin, known for his “empire” of laughing gas sellers on Amsterdam’s street corners, on the international wanted list for large-scale tax fraud. This follows several documentaries in which Üresin was portrayed as a hero and he openly bragged about his earnings, the Telegraaf reports.
Üresin became well known in the Netherlands as the “laughing gas king” a few years ago. His employees could be found on every busy street in Amsterdam, selling balloons full of laughing gas.
In 2016, the municipality of Amsterdam tried to get rid of the laughing gas sellers with at least six fines, totaling over one million euros. But it had no effect. The city eventually succeeded in shutting down the laughing gas sales with a series of restraining orders.
Now, after several documentaries featuring Üresin, the Dutch authorities decided to take a closer look at the man. “These signals prompted the Tax Authority to initiate a book investigation,” the OM told the Telegraaf. The investigation revealed indications of corporate tax fraud involving “a few hundred thousand euros,” the OM said.
The OM suspects Üresin of not filing corporate tax and sales tax returns and of withholding documentation from the Tax Authority. He will be summoned to appear before the Amsterdam court.