Tom Goldstein Delivered Pretrial Loss Over $968K in Alleged Poker Winnings at Airport

Indicted legal professional Tom Goldstein suffered a pretrial loss as a federal choose denied his movement to suppress statements he made a couple of duffel bag of money he introduced into the USA in October 2018.

Prosecutors allege that Goldstein, who faces tax fraud fees in a case involving high-stakes poker matches all over the world, flew from Hong Kong to Washington, D.C. with a duffel bag containing $968,000, which he declared as poker winnings to Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) officers earlier than later claiming it as a mortgage to the Inside Income Service (IRS).

Earlier this yr, Goldstein filed a pretrial movement to suppress his statements to TSA officers, arguing his Fifth Modification rights had been violated since he was not learn his Miranda rights. On Oct. 7, U.S. District Choose Lydia Kay Griggsby denied his movement “as a result of the proof reveals that the Defendant was not in custody throughout his October 25, 2018, customs screening course of.”

Pretrial Loss for Goldstein

Choose Griggsby’s order, which PokerNews reviewed, means prosecutors can transfer ahead with utilizing the cash dispute at trial.

Griggsby additionally denied Goldstein’s movement to dismiss a number of counts in opposition to him, which he argued have been barred by the statute of limitations.

“It’s well-established that the statute of limitations is an affirmative protection that should be raised by the Defendant at trial,” the federal choose wrote within the opinion filed on Tuesday.

The pretrial loss for Goldstein comes two months after a Grand Jury for the District of Maryland returned a superseding indictment with new particulars concerning the case. Goldstein didn’t face any new fees.

Among the many allegations within the up to date indictment have been that Goldstein “try(ed) to dissuade” a agency supervisor “from cooperating with the IRS” by providing her a $10,000 bonus, scholar mortgage repayments in cryptocurrency. Goldstein can be difficult this declare with a movement to dismiss the allegations, court docket paperwork present.

Throughout an arraignment listening to on Oct. 7, Goldstein pleaded not responsible to all fees within the superseding indictment. He had initially pleaded not responsible after the unique indictment.

Goldstein is alleged to have withheld reporting thousands and thousands of {dollars} of poker winnings on his tax returns. Investigators declare he gained upwards of $50 million in high-stakes personal video games. His trial is scheduled to start Jan. 13, 2026 in the USA District Court docket Maryland Southern Division.

Connor Richards is a Senior Editor U.S. for PokerNews and host of the Life Exterior Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for 3 International Poker Awards for his writing.