Excessive-stakes poker legend Andrew Robl testified to a federal jury on Thursday that he coached embattled legal professional Tom Goldstein for a sequence of heads-up matches beginning in 2016. The outcome? Round $50 million in revenue for Goldstein, Robl and different poker gamers who have been in on the motion.
Goldstein’s heads-up matches towards billionaire Alec Gores and two international gamblers named “Tango” and “Chairman” have been first revealed in a January 2025 indictment towards Goldstein, which famous that the famous person legal professional had been coached and staked by two unnamed skilled poker gamers.
A type of coaches was revealed earlier within the felony tax fraud trial to be poker participant Keith Gipson, whereas Robl’s testimony on behalf of Goldstein confirmed the money sport legend’s function within the made-for-movie matchups.
Goldstein has pleaded not responsible to all costs, which embody tax evasion, falsifying tax returns, failing to pay taxes, and making false statements to 2 separate mortgage lenders.
After his testimony, Robl declined PokerNews’ request for remark.
Observe Day 13 of the Tom Goldstein Trial
“He Received a Lot of Cash”
Robl, the protection’s first witness, is likely one of the most profitable high-stakes money sport gamers of all time, dominating in his appearances on exhibits like The Massive Sport and Excessive Stakes Poker. He advised jurors on the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland that he is identified Goldstein since round 2010 and that they’ve “a friendship round poker.”
In 2016, Goldstein requested Robl to teach him to tackle Gores, an American billionaire identified to play high-stakes poker, alongside fellow poker professional Keith Gipson. Robl, who additionally purchased a few of Goldstein’s motion, testified that different poker professionals helped with the teaching, together with heads-up professional Phil Galfond.
“I believed I might prepare him to beat Alec Gores and put money into it and make some cash from it,” Robl stated when requested why he took the provide.
What have been they instructing him? Robl defined that “we’re simply form of instructing him the fundamentals,” in addition to to adapt his sport to totally different opponents.
“His opponent (Gores) had a specific fashion, and as soon as we knew that we (adjusted),” Robl stated.
Robl estimated he had 10-15% of Goldstein’s motion through the 2016 matches towards Gores, which noticed Goldstein successful a personal-best of $26.4 million.
“He received some huge cash,” the high-stakes professional stated.
Robl remembered personally profiting round $3 million within the match, and a exhibit later launched by the prosecution listed the quantity as $2.9 million.
Two to Tango
Robl additionally testified about teaching and staking Goldstein for his matches “someplace in Asia” towards “Tango” and “Chairman,” who he recognized as a “rich particular person from China” who’s shut with Malaysian playing mogul and Goldstein affiliate Paul Phua.
Earlier, the jury noticed textual content messages between Goldstein and Robl that confirmed Robl had 5% of the motion in Goldstein’s match towards “Tango” at a $6 million most loss. That ended up being unhealthy information for Robl, who testified that Goldstein bought within the gap previous the cease loss, ending Robl’s funding, earlier than climbing again to win $13.3 million.
“I don’t consider I made cash from that individual match,” he stated.
The protection emphasised that Goldstein personally took dwelling a lot lower than the $50 million he received general within the matches, the vast majority of which went to backers.
For instance, Robl agreed it was “attainable” that Goldstein’s share of the $13.8 million he received towards “Chairman” had been round $4.5 million. And within the match towards Gores, Robl agreed that $8 million could have gone to Goldstein.
In an effort to clarify any improper or incomplete accounting by Goldstein, the protection requested Robl why he did not require any formal contracts with Goldstein over their poker dealings.
“Gamblers form of simply go by their phrase and repute,” Robl stated.
Is Andrew Robl the Finest Poker Participant of All Time?
Goldstein Misplaced to Robl at Kevin Hart’s Social gathering
Throughout cross-examination by United States Division of Justice prosecutors, Robl revealed that Goldstein owed him round $1.5 million in poker money owed, together with after taking part in Goldstein heads-up at a July 2024 birthday celebration in Mykonos, Greece, which PokerNews revealed final yr was actor Kevin Hart’s social gathering — a truth verified by prosecutors right this moment.
He additionally had a chunk of Goldstein when he took on billionaire banker Andy Beal, who earlier within the trial was revealed to be the “Texas Businessman” who initially dodged a $15.6 million poker debt from a match towards Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire.
The high-stakes legend additionally bought his flowers, with a prosecutor calling him “one of many world’s finest poker gamers” earlier than asking whether or not he would’ve staked Goldstein in full-ring video games, which the federal government alleged he was additionally taking part in on the time of the heads-up matches.
“No,” stated Robl. “He was not a worthwhile participant in ring video games. He usually misplaced.”
Based on Highroll Poker, the 39-year-old has $9.9 million in winnings from 234 hours of taking part in on stream.
Moreover, Robl, who just lately competed within the reboot of the Nationwide Heads-Up Poker Championship, has $5.6 million in dwell event earnings.
Connor Richards
Senior Editor U.S.
