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Thomas Che Goldstein: From Scotus Lawyer To Federal Defendant

Prominent Washington Lawyer Tom Goldstein’s Fall from Grace

Tom Goldstein fights to sell home as tax trial looms

By David Thomas and Mike Scarcella

December 4, 2025

Goldstein: Former SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein is facing trial on 22 counts of tax evasion and financial crimes. He is asking the 4th Circuit to let him sell his $3M Washington, D.C. home to pay mounting legal fees. Prosecutors argue the house is tied to alleged loan fraud and is pledged as bail collateral because Goldstein was deemed a flight risk.
Google: Google is pushing back against a $128.3M attorney-fee request tied to a privacy settlement over its ad practices, calling the demand excessive. Plaintiffs say the settlement delivers major consumer benefits worth $1.4B. A judge will consider the issue in February.
Thalidomide case: A federal judge in Philadelphia denied a motion seeking his recusal from long-running thalidomide litigation, dismissing the claims as baseless. The motion followed a court report accusing the plaintiffs’ law firm of serious misconduct, which the firm disputes.

**Pretrial Fight**

Goldstein continued to face legal troubles after his indictment. In February, he was arrested for allegedly making cryptocurrency transfers that violated his bail terms, but a judge released him after he presented evidence questioning his ownership of the wallets.

He later appealed the strict conditions of his release, which included monitoring his electronic devices, but was unsuccessful. Goldstein accused prosecutors of misleading the court with false statements.

In October 2018, he suffered another setback when a judge denied his motion to suppress statements about a duffel bag of cash he brought into the United States.

From PokerNews: Tom Goldstein Case Timeline

Jan. 16, 2025 – Federal grand jury charges Tom Goldstein with 22 counts related to tax evasion, preparing false and fraudulent tax returns, and making false statements on mortgage applications.
Jan. 21, 2025 – Goldstein revealed to be “best friends” with social media playboy Dan Bilzerian, who called him a reckless gambler.
Jan. 28, 2025 – Goldstein pleads not guilty and is ordered to stop playing poker while awaiting trial.
Feb. 10, 2025 – Goldstein is arrested after prosecutors accuse him of making transactions from undisclosed cryptocurrency wallets.
Feb. 11, 2025 – Goldstein denies ownership of the wallets and demands release.
Feb. 13, 2025 – Goldstein is released from custody as Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan found the government hadn’t proved by “clear and convincing evidence” that he violated pretrial release conditions. Judge Sullivan orders that Goldstein have his electronic devices monitored and be prohibited from using cryptocurrency.
Feb. 27, 2025 – Goldstein appeals release conditions and calls device monitoring “drastic.”
March 7, 2025 – Government responds to Goldstein’s appeal and reveals that he won $51 million gambling against a single player from May 2022-May 2024.
March 14, 2025 – PokerNews reveals that Goldstein lost big to other high-stakes poker players at Kevin Hart’s July 2024 birthday bash in Mykonos, Greece.
March 18, 2025 – Goldstein argues that the government “intentionally misled” the Court and asks for prosecutors to be formally rebuked.
March 2025 – Goldstein loses big to ease “drastic” pretrial monitoring conditions.
August 2025 – A grand jury returns a superseding indictment against Goldstein, which includes new allegations but no new charges.
October 2025 – A judge denies Goldstein’s motion to suppress statements he made about a duffel bag of cash he brought into the United States in October 2018.