Prominent Washington Lawyer Convicted of Tax Crimes

Tom Goldstein found guilty of failing to report millions in poker winnings and other financial crimes

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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A U.S. jury has convicted prominent Washington lawyer Thomas Goldstein of tax and financial crimes related to his side career as a high-stakes poker player. Goldstein, who was once a star of the elite Supreme Court bar, was found guilty of 12 out of 16 counts he faced, including failing to report millions in poker winnings and making false statements on mortgage loan documents.

Why it matters

Goldstein's conviction is a stunning fall for a lawyer who was once considered one of the top appellate attorneys in the U.S. and frequently argued cases before the Supreme Court. The case highlights the risks that high-stakes gambling can pose, even for successful professionals, and raises questions about the oversight and regulation of the legal industry.

The details

Federal prosecutors accused Goldstein of failing to report more than $26 million in poker winnings, lying on mortgage loan documents, and making improper payments through his former law firm Goldstein & Russell. The jury found him guilty on 12 of the 16 counts he faced, including tax evasion and fraud. Goldstein testified that he made mistakes in his financial reporting but did not intentionally violate any laws, blaming his overreliance on advisers and accountants.

  • Goldstein was indicted in 2025 by federal prosecutors.
  • The 7-week trial took place in early 2026, with the jury reaching a verdict on February 25, 2026.

The players

Thomas Goldstein

A prominent Washington lawyer who was once a star of the elite Supreme Court bar, having argued more than 40 cases before the Supreme Court. He co-founded the legal news website SCOTUSblog before retiring from his law practice in 2023.

Sean Beaty

A lead prosecutor who questioned Goldstein on the witness stand and portrayed him as a liar who deceived his wife and others about the scope of his poker activities.

Tobey Maguire

An actor who starred in the 2002 film "Spider-Man" and other movies. Maguire testified that he hired Goldstein in 2020 to try to recover more than $7 million that a Texas businessman allegedly owed the actor in a poker debt.

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What they’re saying

“The mistakes, responsibility for those tax years is mine. I may end up continuing to pay for this for a long time. That's my responsibility. It's just very different from whether I committed a crime.”

— Thomas Goldstein

“Poker. Travel. Cars. Watches. All while you owed millions of dollars to the IRS.”

— Sean Beaty, Lead Prosecutor

What’s next

Goldstein is due to be sentenced at a later date.

The takeaway

Goldstein's conviction highlights the risks that high-stakes gambling can pose, even for successful professionals, and raises questions about the oversight and regulation of the legal industry. The case serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of maintaining financial integrity, even for those at the pinnacle of their careers.