The man charged with defrauding the City of Tallahassee out of more than $2 million does not fit the typical image of an international cybercriminal, authorities say.
Richard N. Golding, an 83-year-old bankruptcy attorney from Buffalo Grove, Illinois, was arrested on charges including wire fraud, money laundering, grand theft and attempted grand theft in connection with the theft of $2.35 million in city funds. Law enforcement officials announced that approximately $1.4 million of the stolen money has been recovered, though nearly $900,000 remains missing.
Golding operates The Golding Law Offices, P.C., a small law firm based outside Chicago. His firm’s website describes a family-oriented practice that prides itself on personalized client care. Attempts by reporters to reach Golding following his arrest were unsuccessful.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Golding was booked into the Cook County Jail on January 23 and remained in custody as of that evening.
Golding earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1967 and has been admitted to practice in Illinois state courts and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. According to the Illinois Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission, Golding was suspended from practicing law for one year in 2004 after pleading guilty to a federal contempt-of-court charge related to mishandling bankruptcy auction funds.
Public records also show Golding has faced multiple state and federal tax liens, some totaling six figures, many of which have since been released.
The Tallahassee Police Department announced Golding’s arrest, alleging he knowingly participated in receiving stolen city funds and helped transfer the money to a Mexican bank for an unidentified criminal network.
Police Chief Lawrence Revell described the case as unusually complex due to its international scope and sophisticated financial trail. He credited detectives for assembling a strong case and intercepting a large portion of the stolen funds while they were still moving through the banking system.
The theft became a source of public concern, with residents raising questions during City Commission meetings and at press events outside City Hall.
State Attorney Jack Campbell said the investigation stemmed from a spear-phishing attack, in which cybercriminals impersonated a legitimate city vendor and persuaded a city employee to change the vendor’s banking information. As a result, city payments were redirected to Golding’s account, which then allegedly funneled the funds overseas.
“He would receive large payments from the city and then wire them to international criminals,” Campbell said, noting the difficulty of tracing funds that move rapidly across global banking systems.
City officials first reported the theft in March 2024 and worked with the U.S. Secret Service to investigate and recover the stolen money. Campbell praised the detective who managed to halt $1.4 million of the funds before they were fully dispersed worldwide.
Court records detailing the case have not yet been released. Campbell confirmed that state charges will be filed in Leon County, and Golding will be required to return to Tallahassee to face the allegations.
Golding is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
