Thomas Goldstein, a prominent appellate lawyer who argued more than 40 cases before the Supreme Court and co-founded SCOTUSblog, has been convicted by a federal jury in Greenbelt, MD, of tax and mortgage fraud, the Justice Department announced.
Prosecutors said Goldstein, the sole owner of Goldstein & Russell, P.C., engaged in a scheme between 2016 and 2023 to evade taxes by concealing millions of dollars in poker winnings and losses, diverting legal fees to personal accounts to pay gambling debts and misclassifying payments through his law firm’s books. Evidence at trial showed he underreported income while spending heavily on poker, travel and luxury goods.
The government also proved that in 2021 Goldstein submitted false mortgage applications to obtain financing for a $2.6 million home in Washington, D.C., omitting more than $14 million in liabilities and outstanding tax obligations. The false statements enabled him to secure a $1.98 million loan.
The jury convicted Goldstein of tax evasion, assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, willful failure to timely pay taxes and making false statements to mortgage lenders. The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A sentencing date has not yet been set.