High-stakes poker player Andrew Robl testified on Thursday in the federal criminal trial of attorney Tom Goldstein. He explained how he coached and backed Goldstein for a series of high-stakes heads-up matches that started in 2016.
- Robl talked about coaching and backing Goldstein for high-stakes heads-up games.
- He explained how the backing deals worked and what the results were.
- He also talked about later poker sessions and unpaid debts.
What Robl Told the Jury
Robl said that in 2016, Goldstein asked him for help getting ready to play heads-up against billionaire Alec Gores. Robl worked with another poker pro, Keith Gipson, as part of the coaching and backing team to help Goldstein win the high-stakes match.
Robl testified that the heads-up games brought in about $50 million in profit for Goldstein, Robl, and others. He estimated he had 10 to 15 percent of Goldstein’s action in the 2016 matches and said Goldstein won $26.4 million against Gores.
Robl said he made about $3 million from those games. However, a prosecution exhibit later listed his profit as $2.9 million (pretty close!).
Asia Sessions and the “Stop-Loss” Detail
Robl also talked about more heads-up matches that happened somewhere in Asia against two gamblers called “Tango” and “Chairman.” He said “Tango” was a wealthy person from China and was connected to Paul Phua, who the report described as a gambling figure and Goldstein’s associate.
Jurors saw messages showing that Robl had 5 percent of the “Tango” action, with a maximum possible loss of $6 million. Robl said the stop-loss was passed, so he stopped playing. He added that Goldstein later made up the losses and finished ahead, but Robl did not think he made any profit from that match.
Financial Backing & Arrangements
Robl also explained that backing deals can lower a player’s final share of big winnings. He agreed that Goldstein’s share from the “Chairman” win was about $4.5 million and that Goldstein may have gotten around $8 million from the Gores games.
Cross-Examination on Poker Debts
During cross-examination, Robl said Goldstein owed him about $1.5 million in poker debts. He also mentioned a heads-up game in July 2024 at a birthday party in Mykonos, Greece, which prosecutors said was for Kevin Hart.
Robl also said he had a share of Goldstein’s action in a game with billionaire banker Andy Beal, who was mentioned in earlier trial coverage.
Case Context
Goldstein has pleaded not guilty to charges listed in the report, such as tax evasion, falsifying tax returns, not paying taxes, and making false statements on mortgage applications. The trial is taking place in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Reuters also reported that jurors heard parts of an interview Goldstein gave to journalist Jeffrey Toobin. This happened after prosecutors and defense agreed that Toobin would not testify.
