SCOTUSblog Co‑Founder Thomas Goldstein Convicted of Tax Evasion Tied to High‑Stakes Poker
Thomas Goldstein, co‑founder of SCOTUSblog and a Supreme Court litigator, was convicted by a jury on 12 of 16 counts — including 1 count of tax evasion, 4 counts of aiding/assisting false returns, 4 counts of willful failure to timely pay taxes, and 3 counts of making false statements on loan applications — in a case tied to income from high‑stakes poker. The Department of Justice says he diverted law‑firm funds to pay gambling debts, falsely deducted those debts as business expenses, and omitted about $15 million in gambling debt on mortgage applications while shopping for a Washington, D.C. home. Prosecutors say the scheme unraveled after another gambler reported a 2016 debt to the IRS; Goldstein reportedly earned about $50 million in poker winnings in 2016 (roughly $22 million in Asia), and testimony included actor Tobey Maguire saying he hired Goldstein to recover a gambling debt.
📌 Key Facts
- Thomas Goldstein, SCOTUSblog co‑founder and Supreme Court litigator, was convicted by a jury on 12 of 16 counts: 1 tax-evasion count, 4 counts of aiding/assisting false returns, 4 counts of willful failure to timely pay taxes, and 3 counts of making false statements on loan applications.
- The Department of Justice alleges Goldstein diverted law‑firm money to pay high‑stakes gambling debts and falsely deducted those payments as business expenses.
- Prosecutors described the scheme as a "textbook tax‑evasion scheme."
- Goldstein reportedly earned about $50 million in poker winnings in 2016 alone, including roughly $22 million in Asia; the scheme unraveled after another gambler reported a 2016 debt to the IRS.
- While shopping for a Washington, D.C. home in 2021, Goldstein allegedly omitted a $15 million gambling debt on mortgage applications.
- Actor Tobey Maguire testified that he hired Goldstein to help recover a gambling debt from a billionaire.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms jury convicted Goldstein on 12 of 16 counts, specifying the breakdown: 1 tax evasion, 4 aiding/assisting false returns, 4 willful failure to timely pay taxes, 3 false statements on loan applications.
- Details DOJ allegation that Goldstein diverted law‑firm money to pay gambling debts and falsely deducted those debts as business expenses.
- Adds that Goldstein earned about $50 million in poker winnings in 2016 alone, including roughly $22 million in Asia, and that the scheme unraveled when another gambler reported a 2016 debt to the IRS.
- Notes that Goldstein allegedly omitted a $15 million gambling debt on mortgage applications while shopping for a new Washington, D.C. home with his wife in 2021.
- Reports a DOJ prosecutor’s characterization of the case as a 'textbook tax‑evasion scheme' and notes that actor Tobey Maguire testified about hiring Goldstein to help recover a gambling debt from a billionaire.