Tom Goldberg is a minor character in Grand Theft Auto IV.
Goldberg is voiced by Jonathan Hanst, who also voiced Hank in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
History
Background
Goldberg is a lawyer at Goldberg, Ligner and Shyster, as well as one of the founders.
According to his law firm's website, Goldberg is credited for his work on human rights and charity works. He is considered a success within the legal profession. He is often the legal expert on Weazel News and is quoted several times in the Daily Globe. According to his secretary, when not working on his cases, he spends his time teaching disadvantaged young boys to swim.
When Niko is walking with the law firm's receptionist in the mission Final Interview, she mentions how Goldberg is always trying to make the world better and Niko is in "trouble" if he gets in his way.
Goldberg at first appears to be an ethical lawyer, prosecuting criminals and corrupt officials and and spending his free time teaching disadvantaged boys to swim, but the "Case studies" on his law firm's website reveal that some of his greatest cases were either meritless or bring undo ruin to entire families for minor infractions. He is also implied to be a pedophile, as his website describes his teaching of disadvantaged boys as "hands on" and he's quotes as saying seeing them kick naked brings him joy.
Events of Grand Theft Auto IV
During 2008, Goldberg discovered Francis McReary's corruption. A blackmailer mentioned that Goldberg is interested in procuring the evidence against Francis. Francis, however, hired Niko Bellic to eliminate the blackmailer. Niko succeeded and killed the blackmailer, however, Goldberg already got some of the photos for his case, threatening Francis's position.
Francis sent Niko once again to kill Goldberg, by applying for the firm through an interview. Niko meets with Goldberg. During the interview, Goldberg tells Niko that Francis is a good cop, but due to his corruption, Goldberg will "crush" him. Niko soon threatened Goldberg and asked him where the files against Francis were located. After taking the files, Niko killed Goldberg.
After his death, his partner Dick Shyster says to the Liberty Tree that he will take over most of his cases.
Mission Appearances
Grand Theft Auto IV
- ...Final Interview (Killed)
Gallery
Trivia
- If the player pulls out a firearm but doesn't point it at Goldberg, Goldberg will say that "Guns don't kill people, video games do.", a line frequently, but falsely, attributed to real-life former lawyer Jack Thompson, known for his antipathy towards violent video games, especially the Grand Theft Auto series. In fact, Thompson filed a complaint against Take-Two Interactive and threatened that he would "take necessary and proper means to stop release of the game" if the persona of Tom Goldberg was not changed by the game's release. Nothing was changed but Jack Thompson never followed through.
- Tom Goldberg is the second lawyer named "Goldberg" in the GTA series, after Maurice Goldberg from Grand Theft Auto III, the lawyer of Salvatore Leone. These characters, however, appear in different continuities.
- Tom Goldberg vaguely resembles actor Robert De Niro; note in particular the mole under his right eye.
- Killing Goldberg with a knife won't alert Karen, the security staff or the police. Thus making the mission easier.
- Francis McReary mentions that Goldberg hoped his corruption probe into the LCPD would help him win an election to join the U.S. Congress.
- Tom Goldberg's unique character model is used by Councilman Rodgers in internet newspaper articles and the Mafiya Work multiplayer mode.
