Judge Griggsby declined that request, opting instead to sentence Goldstein to six years behind bars. Federal prosecutors had sought a prison term exceeding eight years, but the court ultimately imposed a shorter sentence while emphasizing the seriousness of the offenses.
During sentencing, the judge left little doubt about her view of the evidence presented throughout the case.
“Every American understands that they have an obligation to pay taxes,” she told the courtroom, adding bluntly: “I don’t think this is a close case.”
Judge Griggsby also ordered Goldstein to surrender immediately following sentencing. She cited concerns that he presented a potential flight risk and concluded that an appeal was unlikely to overturn the conviction.
According to prosecutors, the case involved much more than unreported gambling winnings. They alleged that Goldstein concealed more than $25 million in income between 2016 and 2023, resulting in more than $9.5 million in unpaid federal taxes.
Earlier this year, following a six-week federal trial in Greenbelt, a jury found Goldstein guilty on 12 of the 16 criminal charges brought against him. The convictions included eight felony counts involving tax evasion, filing false tax returns, and mortgage fraud.
Federal authorities originally charged Goldstein in January 2025, accusing him of hiding both income and losses connected to high-stakes poker games played in the United States and overseas. According to court filings, individual games involved millions of dollars. Goldstein pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed five years of supervised release after his incarceration. Judge Griggsby also ordered Goldstein to pay $3.1 million in restitution, matching the amount prosecutors requested for unpaid federal taxes.
Federal prosecutors sharply criticized Goldstein’s actions in their sentencing memorandum, arguing that the conduct reflected deliberate financial misconduct rather than isolated mistakes.
“His motivation was singular: pure, unrelenting greed.”
They further argued that Goldstein’s position within the legal profession made the misconduct even more serious, telling the court:
“We can and should expect more from every attorney and officer of the court, let alone one of Goldstein’s status.”
Before the criminal case, Goldstein had built a national reputation as one of America’s leading appellate lawyers. His firm, Goldstein & Russell, was widely recognized within Washington’s legal community, and he appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court more than 40 times during his career.
Goldstein also played a role on the legal team representing former Vice President Al Gore during the closely watched Supreme Court litigation surrounding the disputed 2000 presidential election, which ultimately concluded with George W. Bush prevailing.
Because of his professional accomplishments, the criminal allegations stunned many within the legal community when they first became public. His conviction represents one of the most significant legal scandals involving a nationally known appellate attorney in recent years.
Despite recognizing Goldstein’s accomplishments, Judge Griggsby made clear that professional success could not outweigh the seriousness of the crimes.
She described him as “brilliant by all accounts”, but also expressed disappointment over the conduct that brought him before the court.
The defense maintained that Goldstein’s actions were driven by addiction rather than calculated criminal intent. His attorneys argued that compulsive gambling had consumed his life and urged the court to allow him to serve his sentence under community supervision instead of incarceration.
His legal team acknowledged the devastating impact the addiction had on both his finances and personal life, stating that he had “spent many years gambling with money he didn’t have, and gambling away money that he won, to the detriment of himself and his loved ones.”
The court ultimately concluded that the severity of the offenses warranted a substantial prison sentence, bringing an extraordinary legal career to an abrupt and highly public end.
