A high Supreme Court lawyer was indicted on Thursday in a Maryland federal courtroom for tax evasion, falsifying tax returns, failing to pay taxes, and making false statements to 2 mortgage lenders in relation to high-stakes poker winnings.
Tom Goldstein has argued greater than 40 circumstances earlier than the courtroom and can also be the writer of SCOTUSblog, which provides information and evaluation of the nation’s highest courtroom.
Federal prosecutors allege he was concerned in high-stakes money video games in Beverly Hills, Asia, and different elements of the world and didn’t report these winnings on his tax returns.
The indictment describes Goldstein as “an ultra high-stakes poker player, frequently playing in matches or series of matches in the United States and abroad involving stakes totaling millions, and even tens of millions, of dollars.”
Reports now say that Goldstein was the thriller participant recognized solely as ‘Thomas’ in final yr’s Hustler Casino Live million greenback money recreation. During the sport, he unintentionally mucked the profitable hand in a pot price $540,000, and misplaced $1.1 million general.
Details On The Case
The indictment alleges Goldstein hid his wins and losses, and misrepresented bills. Other allegations embody failing to pay $5.3 million in taxes for the years 2016 to 2021. Investigators say he received $13.8 million in Asia in 2016 after which received one other $26.4 million in opposition to a California businessman in Beverly Hills.
In 2018, Goldstein allegedly performed high-stakes poker in Macau and returned to the U.S. with a duffel bag containing $1 million in money. Authorities allege he declared the cash however didn’t report the winnings on his tax return for that yr.
The authorities additional argues that Goldstein improperly used authorized charges paid to his Maryland legislation agency for his high-stakes poker video games and to pay playing money owed. From 2016 to 2022, the indictment says the 54-year-old lawyer was concerned in “intimate relationships with at least a dozen women” and used funds from his agency to pay for bills and journey associated to these relationships. Some have been additionally paid as staff regardless of performing “little or no work for the firm,” the indictment notes.
The authorities additionally believes that in 2021 Goldstein “submitted false mortgage applications to two separate mortgage lending companies, seeking financing to purchase a $2.6 million home in Washington, D.C.”
Denying The Allegations
Goldstein has represented Google, Oracle, and former Vice President Al Gore earlier than the Supreme Court. He additionally taught at Harvard Law School, and was named of the 40 most influential attorneys of the last decade by National Law Journal.
Goldstein’s attorneys John Lauro and Christopher Kise mentioned the federal government doesn’t have all of the info within the case and denied the allegations.
“Mr. Goldstein is a prominent attorney with an impeccable reputation,” the attorneys advised CNBC. “We are deeply disappointed that the government brought these charges in a rush to judgment without understanding all of the important facts. Our client intends to vigorously contest these charges and we expect he will be exonerated at trial.”
*Photo – Wikicommons through Legaleagle22
