Former Supreme Court Attorney Tom Goldstein Accused of $100 Million Cryptocurrency Transfers
Former Supreme Court attorney and alleged tax evader Tom Goldstein had access to a cryptocurrency wallet that channeled $100 million in transfers, according to a new filing from US federal prosecutors.
Background
The US originally filed an indictment against Goldstein on January 16, including counts of violating federal tax laws and failing to report cryptocurrency transactions. Goldstein, known for co-founding the popular SCOTUSblog, faced allegations of using unhosted wallets for large sums of money transfers.
New Revelations
Filed on March 6, the latest submission includes new information regarding the volume of transactions on two unhosted wallets allegedly associated with Goldstein. One of them, referred to as “935B,” has been identified as a channel through which Goldstein received and sent out payments, often linked to gambling activities.
According to the filing, the 935B wallet has processed approximately $100 million in cryptocurrency transactions since its creation in November 2022.
Legal Defense
Goldstein denies ownership of the 935B wallet, claiming he was given its address by another individual. However, prosecutors argue that Goldstein had provided the wallet address to facilitate transactions with a ‘fixer,’ highlighting his potential involvement in using unhosted wallets for financial activities.
Bail Conditions and Appeal
Goldstein appealed against his bail conditions, particularly the monitoring of his internet-capable devices. Despite being detained on February 11, he was granted bail on the condition of disclosing all assets, including cryptocurrencies, to pretrial services.
Judge Sullivan granted bail but imposed strict conditions, including abstaining from cryptocurrency transactions and monitoring internet usage. Prosecutors raised concerns about Goldstein’s failure to disclose all his cryptocurrency accounts and transactions.
Legal Troubles
The indictment against Goldstein accuses him of falsely stating on his tax returns that he had not engaged in any virtual currency transactions, despite evidence of significant cryptocurrency activity totaling over $10 million in two tax years.
Goldstein’s legal team argues that the charges are exaggerated, portraying them as a mere omission on tax forms. Before leaving the legal profession, Goldstein had a distinguished career, arguing numerous cases in the Supreme Court and representing notable clients like Al Gore.