Years earlier than he was federally indicted on tax evasion prices associated to tens of millions in poker winnings, Tom Goldstein’s high-stakes poker and playing escapades had been documented in Dan Bilzerian’s 2021 autobiography The Setup.
The social media playboy, whose dad and former firm are going through some authorized points stemming from his hashish enterprise, and the esteemed personal legal professional had been longtime pals who met enjoying poker and later raced round a Las Vegas racetrack in luxurious sports activities automobiles as a part of a $385,000 prop guess.
“To today, I’ve by no means met anybody with much less respect for cash proportionate to their internet price than Tom,” Bilzerian wrote of Goldstein, who final week was charged by the US Lawyer’s Workplace District of Maryland in a 22-count indictment. “And I’ve met some true degenerates.”
Goldstein, who additionally represented Bilzerian in a number of authorized issues, even wrote an excerpt for 2021’s The Setup, a e-book detailing Bilzerian’s life from childhood to his time as a Navy Seal and later turning into a controversial social media movie star. PokerNews reviewed the bestseller when it first got here out.
Lawyer Allegedly Received $50 Million in Heads-Up Poker Matches
Assembly at Bellagio
Goldstein is talked about in Bilzerian’s e-book as an early character he met enjoying in high-stakes poker video games on the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
“Individuals had been all watching the sport and speaking about what a f***ing maniac he was,” Bilzerian wrote. “After I walked up, he had been enjoying with out taking a look at his playing cards for 2 hours straight. Often on the flip or the river, he would look after which fireplace enormous bluffs.”
Goldstein’s wild enjoying model with out taking a look at his playing cards on the Bellagio was documented on the time in a Two Plus Two submit.
Bilzerian goes on to say that Goldstein — who he later refers to as “my maniac bluff-happy legal professional” and “my crazy-ass energy legal professional” — “wasn’t superb at poker” however “was tremendous clever and savvy sufficient to learn folks and conditions.”
“He cherished the motion, nevertheless it was nearly like he subconsciously needed to lose,” wrote Bilzerian. “I feel he favored that everybody on the desk cherished him a lot, and as a ruthless lawyer, he in all probability didn’t get that sort of a heat welcome elsewhere. The extra he misplaced, the happier everybody round him received, and I feel he was partially hooked on that feeling, however he was totally hooked on the push of playing.”
A Excessive-Stakes Racing Guess
The e-book additionally paperwork a 2011 six-figure prop guess between Bilzerian and Goldstein in a chapter titled “Ford vs. Ferrari.” The 2 had been initially going to guess $100,000 that Goldstein’s Ferrari 458 may beat Bilzerian’s 1965 A/C Cobra in a quarter-mile race round Las Vegas Motor Speedway, however Goldstein upped the guess to $300,000.
“Tom talked s*** your complete time … Because the race neared, his s***-talking received worse. The night time earlier than the race, he posted his $300,000 in Bellagio chips and begged me to up the stakes of the guess.”
The 2 negotiated that Goldstein would put up an extra $85,000 to Bilzerian’s $40,000. They added within the phrases that if Bilzerian misplaced, he “couldn’t have intercourse or masturbate for a month,” and if Goldstein misplaced, “he needed to get excessive with me.”
“Regardless of his craziness on the desk, he was a sq. in some ways and had by no means accomplished a drug in his life. Playing was one in all his few vices, however he was a sicko, so he agreed to smoke weed if he misplaced.”
Bilzerian received the race and Goldstein allegedly stored his phrase. In accordance with Bilzerian, they “hit a number of bong rips” at his Las Vegas condominium earlier than Goldstein claimed he did not really feel something and left.
Here is how Bilzerian remembers what transpired subsequent:
The cellphone rang ten minutes later.
“Blitz, the weed labored,” he (Goldstein) yelled.
“I am within the poker site on the Bellagio. I could not drive anymore, so I left my automobile.”
“The place’s your automobile?”
“On Las Vegas Boulevard.”
I raced down there and positive sufficient, that asshole had left his brand-new Ferrari sitting on the boulevard with the keys nonetheless in it. He did not even flip the lights off. I parked the automobile in valet and went to the poker site.
Bilzerian goes on to say that Goldstein requested to borrow some cash to “gamble” and let Bilzerian maintain onto his Ferrari as collateral.
“He clearly misplaced the cash I gave him,” wrote Bilzerian. “It took him six months to pay me. However for as soon as in my life, I had collateral on a mortgage, and with that automobile I did not care if he by no means paid me.”
Goldstein Self-Described ‘Web Winner’ in Poker
Goldstein wrote an excerpt for the e-book in a chapter that particulars a controversial lawsuit involving an grownup movie actress who was injured throughout a promotional shoot. Goldstein represented Bilzerian within the case and penned what Bilzerian described as “one of the notorious authorized missives ever written.”
“Over the many years, we have accomplished loads of desert driving, firing computerized weapons, paintballing, and enjoying poker (internet winner) and chess (I am hopeless). I am fortunate sufficient to say that he is one in all my greatest pals.”
Goldstein additionally appears to endorse the contents of the e-book, writing that “the one and solely a part of the e-book that is bulls***” is when Bilzerian says, “I am no smarter than you.”
Goldstein faces a 22-count indictment in Maryland stemming from his high-stakes poker winnings and money owed. Federal officers say he evaded taxes on tens of millions in poker winnings and used authorized charges from his regulation agency to cowl his poker losses.
He’s represented by John Lauro of Lauro & Singer and Christopher Kise of Continental, who disputed the fees in opposition to their consumer in a written assertion.
“Mr. Goldstein is a distinguished legal professional with an impeccable repute,” wrote Lauro and Kise, who’ve each represented President Donald Trump. “We’re deeply disenchanted that the federal government introduced these prices in a rush to judgment with out understanding all the essential details. Our consumer intends to vigorously contest these prices and we count on he shall be exonerated at trial.”
Connor Richards
Editor & Dwell Reporter U.S.
