Authorities in suburban Philadelphia have busted what they allege was a high-end wine smuggling operation run by a local attorney.
The Chester County district attorney's office said Monday that a nine-month undercover investigation led to the arrest of 49-year-old Arthur David Goldman.
"He was making money off the illegal sale of wine," said prosecutor Michael Noone. "He didn't have a liquor license and he knew what he was doing was wrong."
Officers said they seized nearly 2,500 bottles of wine valued between $150,000 and $200,000 at Goldman's home in Malvern. Investigators said the rare wines are unavailable in Pennsylvania's state-run liquor stores.
Noone said Goldman "made those wines available for sale to his own private list of customers, knowing that it was illegal."
Goldman was busted after he illegally sold wine to undercover liquor control agents, according to investigators.
If convicted, Goldman could be fined $200,000, lose his license to practice law and have to give up all of his wine.
Goldman's attorney Peter Kratsa could not be immediately reached for comment.
