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A Maryland federal judge ordered the release of SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein on Thursday, casting doubt on prosecutors’ claims that the prominent Supreme Court advocate had secretly moved millions in cryptocurrency while facing criminal tax fraud charges.

The ruling came after Goldstein’s defense presented evidence contradicting government allegations that he had executed illicit digital transactions in an attempt to evade authorities.

Judge Skeptical of Crypto Evidence

Goldstein had been jailed since Monday, when prosecutors argued he had orchestrated a series of covert cryptocurrency transfers that raised concerns about potential flight risk. However, during Thursday’s hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan appeared unconvinced by the government’s case.

Goldstein’s attorneys produced WhatsApp messages they said proved the crypto wallets in question were not his. They also pointed to a $2 million transaction that occurred while Goldstein was behind bars, without access to electronics—a key detail that undermined prosecutors’ timeline.

Still, the judge imposed strict conditions on his release, barring Goldstein from using cryptocurrency and requiring monitoring software on all of his internet-connected devices.

“I need to end this crypto controversy with him,” Judge Sullivan remarked.

Tax Fraud Charges Still Loom

Despite his release, Goldstein remains entangled in a 22-count indictment accusing him of orchestrating a long-running tax evasion scheme—one that allegedly involved hiding high-stakes poker winnings and other income from federal authorities.

The case marks a dramatic turn for Goldstein, one of the nation’s most renowned Supreme Court litigators. Over a storied career, he has argued more than 40 cases before the high court, including the landmark Google v. Oracle copyright battle. He also served as a Harvard Law professor specializing in Supreme Court litigation before retiring from private practice two years ago.

As the case moves forward, Goldstein’s next legal battle will be fought not in the high court he once frequented, but in the very system he spent decades navigating for others.