Tom Goldstein Rests Defense in Tax, Loan False Statement Case

SCOTUSblog co-founder Tom Goldstein rested his defense Tuesday in his trial on charges of tax fraud and making a false statement on a loan application with testimony about allegedly uncollected emails from his outside accounting firm.

The jury could begin deliberations as early as Wednesday afternoon.

Goldstein’s last witness—from e-discovery company Epiq—testified about the documents produced by Goldstein’s outside accounting firm to the government in response to grand jury subpoenas.

The outside firm, GRF CPAs & Advisors, produced over 2,470 emails. Only 12 of those emails reflected internal GRF communications related to Goldstein’s accounts, and they were all from between 2020 and 2022, the witness said.

The evidence supports the defense’s claim that the government’s investigation was inadequate.

On cross-examination, the witness acknowledged he didn’t know whether emails had been “manually deleted,” didn’t undertake any effort to try to recover any internal communications, and was unfamiliar with GRF’s document retention policy, if any.

Goldstein had said he planned to call the government’s lead case agent, but the parties instead agreed to a list of facts that were read to the jury. The information mostly related to statements that one of Goldstein’s outside accountants made to investigators that were inconsistent with testimony he gave at trial.

The government put on a brief rebuttal case, introducing emails to help bolster its argument that venue was proper in this court for one of his three mortgage fraud counts.

The loan application at issue was signed March 1, 2021, a date on which Goldstein told jurors he was in the US Virgin Islands. The emails would appear to support the idea that Goldstein was directing activity in Maryland.

Goldstein is charged with one count of tax evasion, eight counts of aiding and abetting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns, four counts of willful failure to pay taxes, and three counts of making a false statement on a loan application.

The trial, before Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby of the US District Court for the District of Maryland, is in its sixth week. Jurors saw 15 days of evidence total, with about two days from the defense. Goldstein testified in his own defense.

Griggsby also denied the defense’s renewed motion for acquittal.

Goldstein is represented by Muger Tolles & Olson LLP.

The case is United States v. Goldstein, D. Md., No. 8:25-cr-00006, 2/17/26.