SCOTUSblog Founder Gets 6 Years for Tax Fraud

National News - A federal judge sentenced Thomas C. Goldstein to six years in prison for tax evasion and mortgage fraud. Goldstein co-founded the legal website SCOTUSblog and argued more than 40 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby handed down the sentence in Greenbelt, Maryland. Goldstein, 56, of Chevy Chase, will also serve five years of supervised release.

A federal jury convicted Goldstein in February 2026. The charges included tax evasion, assisting with false tax returns, failing to pay taxes on time, and making false statements to mortgage lenders.

Judge Griggsby ordered Goldstein to pay $3,103,427 in restitution. She also ordered an indeterminate forfeiture amount and revoked his bond, sending him into custody.

U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes announced the sentence alongside several federal law enforcement leaders. Hayes said Goldstein built a respected legal career while ignoring the same rules he argued mattered in court.

"Thomas Goldstein built a distinguished legal career arguing that the rule of law matters. Yet, as the evidence at trial showed, he repeatedly chose to violate that very principle for his own financial benefit," Hayes said. "Every taxpayer is expected to play by the same rules, and this sentence shows that those who deliberately cheat the system and lie for financial gain will be held accountable. We thank our law enforcement partners for their work on this case, and their unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of our tax and financial systems."

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald said Goldstein hid millions of dollars in income. He said Goldstein used foreign bank accounts and his law firm's books to fund his gambling and lifestyle.

"This sentence holds Thomas Goldstein accountable for cheating the tax system and lying to mortgage lenders," McDonald said. "Mr. Goldstein concealed millions of dollars in income, disguised income with foreign bank accounts, and manipulated his law firm's books- all to fund his gambling and lifestyle. He then repeatedly chose not to pay taxes the taxes owed. There is no tax case too big, no scheme too complex, and no hiding place too remote for the Fraud Division."

IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter said the sentencing holds Goldstein accountable for abusing the tax system. FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Tyler said prominence does not give anyone the right to break financial rules.

"Today's sentencing is a significant step towards holding the defendant accountable for his role in abusing our tax system," Carter said. "IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents and our law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue those who attempt to defraud our tax system and financial institutions."

"Public prominence doesn't entitle anyone to break financial rules or secure an unfair advantage over those who follow them," Tyler said. "The mortgage industry exists to serve hardworking, honest Americans, and the FBI will bring anyone who tries to exploit the system for personal gain to justice regardless of their social status."

Evidence at trial showed Goldstein owned Goldstein & Russell, P.C. from 2016 to 2023. The firm focused on appellate cases, including arguments before the Supreme Court.
Goldstein was also a high-stakes poker player. He often played in games worth tens of millions of dollars.

During those years, Goldstein stopped paying his taxes on time. He also worked to evade his 2016 taxes by hiding poker wins and losses from the government.

He sent legal fees owed to his law firm into his own bank account to pay off poker debts. He also had people pay his creditors directly and used firm assets to cover his gambling debts.

Goldstein then had those payments falsely listed as legal fees in the firm's records. This caused him to underreport his income and avoid paying taxes he owed.

Instead of paying his taxes, Goldstein spent millions of dollars on poker, travel, and luxury items. In 2021, he applied for a mortgage to buy a $2.6 million home in Washington, D.C.
On those applications, Goldstein left out millions of dollars in debts. This included more than $14 million he owed on two promissory notes and unpaid taxes to the IRS.

His false statements helped him secure a $1.98 million loan from one lender. The false information was later uncovered during the investigation into his finances.

U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked the IRS-CI and FBI for their investigation. She also thanked the prosecutors who handled the case, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Adeyemi Adenrele and several DOJ Tax Section attorneys.

The case is part of the Department of Justice's new National Fraud Enforcement Division. That division was created in April to investigate and prosecute fraud against the American people.