Washington attorney Tom Goldstein is heading toward a January tax-evasion trial while battling a separate legal fight over whether he can sell his multimillion-dollar home to fund his defense. The dispute has pushed an already high-profile prosecution into an unusual appellate clash involving real estate, loan disclosures and the limits of a defendant’s right to use personal assets for legal costs.
Tom Goldstein is preparing for a January tax trial while fighting to sell his Washington home to pay for his defense. The dispute has expanded his legal troubles and pushed the case into an unusual appellate battle.
A fast-rising financial dispute
Goldstein once stood among the most visible Supreme Court advocates and helped launch SCOTUSblog. Now he faces 22 federal charges tied to unpaid taxes and financial dealings connected to his poker winnings. He insists he needs money from the sale of his home to continue funding his lawyers. Legal fees have already climbed into the millions.
The property sits in Wesley Heights and was purchased in 2021 for $2.65 million. Goldstein argues that nothing about the house links it to wrongdoing and that the Constitution protects his ability to use clean assets for his defense.
Why prosecutors say the house matters
Federal prosecutors disagree. They say Goldstein failed to disclose more than $15 million in debts—tax and personal—when he sought financing to buy the home. Because of that omission, they argue the property stems from fraud and cannot be sold until the case ends. The trial judge sided with the government. Goldstein appealed and is representing himself in that stage of the case.
Prosecutors also noted that the house serves as collateral for his release. A judge previously labeled him a flight risk. That decision makes a quick sale even harder.
The lender behind the purchase
Court filings revealed that Goldstein financed the home through Parabellum Capital, a large litigation-funding firm with offices in New York and Boston. The company confirmed that it is a witness in the case. It also said it faces no accusations of wrongdoing. Goldstein used the loan to buy the property and pay taxes. Prosecutors say the undisclosed debts taint the transaction.
Former federal officials and white-collar specialists say defendants rarely win these arguments. Courts tend to favor the government when prosecutors can connect property to alleged misconduct.
Other legal battles unfold in federal courts
Goldstein’s fight comes as other high-stakes disputes move through the courts. In California, Google is trying to shrink a $128.3 million request for legal fees tied to a settlement over advertising practices. Plaintiffs say the company must pay because the settlement forces major changes to its systems. Google says the benefits are overstated.
In Philadelphia, a judge rejected a bid by Hagens Berman for his removal from a long-running thalidomide case. The firm accused the judge and a court-appointed investigator of improper communication. The judge dismissed that claim and cited previous findings that raised concerns about altered evidence. The firm denies wrongdoing.