Criminal Justice
SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein avoided $500K poker repayment, former firm employee testifies

A former employee at SCOTUSblog co-founder Tom Goldstein’s law firm testified Wednesday that Goldstein dodged repaying him for money invested in his poker-playing exploits. (Photo by Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)
A former employee at SCOTUSblog co-founder Tom Goldstein’s law firm testified Wednesday that Goldstein dodged repaying him for money invested in his poker-playing exploits, according to a story by Law360.
The former firm employee, Paul Napoli of Napoli Shkolnik, said at the former Supreme Court lawyer’s federal tax fraud trial he had known Goldstein since 2000, but it wasn’t until 2017 when Goldstein invited him to invest in his poker playing.
Napoli described Goldstein as a “very smart and intelligent” man and said it took less than 24 hours for him and his partner to invest $500,000, according to Law360.
According to Napoli, Goldstein told him to wire the money to a third-party account, one that prosecutors said belonged to real estate magnate Bob Safai. After an initial win that netted the partner investors $90,000, Napoli said he wanted the money back, as it didn’t appear that Goldstein was still using it for poker by fall 2017, according to Law360.
See also:
SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein had motive for money offers to firm manager, prosecutors allege
Write a letter to the editor, share a story tip or update, or report an error.
