Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas arrested in connection with illegal high-stakes poker games

Gilbert Arenas was arrested on July 30. Tim Heitman/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas was arrested Wednesday and is accused by the Department of Justice of being a part of a high-stakes illegal gambling ring that ran out of one of his California homes.

Arenas, 43, is facing a federal indictment on a count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business and one count of making false statements to federal investigators. According to the Justice Department, Arenas rented out an Encino, California, mansion to host illegal poker games.

If convicted, Arenas faces up to five years in prison on each charge.

Arenas is a former three-time All-Star who played 11 seasons in the NBA, most notably with the Washington Wizards. In more recent years, he’s become a popular podcast host on “Gil’s Arena,” in which he and other former players discuss basketball.

According to the indictment filed by prosecutors in Los Angeles, Arenas directed Arthur Kats, 51, to stage the games. Kats would then prepare the home and collect rent from the other individuals accused of being involved in the scheme – Yevgeni Gershman, who the department describes as a “suspected organized crime figure from Israel”; Evgenni Tourevski; Allan Austria; Yarin Cohen; and Ievgen Krachun – would then manage the illegal gambling being done at the home, according to the indictment.

All the other defendants face charges of one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of operating an illegal gambling business. No lawyers for Arenas or the other defendants were listed in court documents on Wednesday afternoon.

Justice Department investigators accused Arenas’ co-defendants of collecting money off each prize pot, inviting people to play in the games, hiring young women to “serve drinks, provide massages and offer companionship” to the people playing the games and then collecting a portion of what the women earned from their work.

According to the indictment, investigators obtained text messages between Arenas and Kats that show the two planning to host alleged illegal poker games at the mansion and even came up with poker tables that bore Arenas’ name and image. The two also discussed financial matters and payments over text messages, according to the indictment.

The text messages cited in the indictment show the defendants scheduling the alleged illegal gambling nights, financial matters, recruiting women and dealers to work at the house, recruiting security and other matters, according to prosecutors.

The indictment says Arenas sent text messages asking about money collected at the games, complaining about players being intoxicated and trying to find hosts for the gambling nights.

The home used for the alleged illegal gambling nights was raided in the early hours of July 20, 2022, with US Department of Homeland Security investigators seizing money that was found in the master bedroom of the home. The former Washington Wizard attempted to get that money back by filing a petition with the US Customs and Border Protection.

Prosecutors say Arenas falsely told them he was not involved in the gambling that was taking place at the home.

“In fact, as defendant Arenas then knew, defendant Arenas had knowingly provided gambling equipment at the Gable House to be used to host an illegal poker game on July 19, 2022, had knowingly rented out the Gable House to be used to host the illegal poker game on July 19, 2022, and was collecting rent from the hosts for operating an illegal poker game at the Gable House on July 19, 2022,” the indictment states.

One of the defendants faces additional accusations.

Gershman is charged with entering into a sham marriage with Valintina Cojocari and the two of them face three additional charges: one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud and making a false statement on an immigration document. Prosecutors allege Gershman paid Cojocari for her participation in the marriage.

According to prosecutors, they both submitted false information on immigration forms.