Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has been arrested along with five others on a federal indictment alleging they operated an illegal gambling business. The business reportedly featured high stakes poker games played at Arenas’ Encino mansion.
Arenas has been charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business. He has also been charged with one count of operating an illegal gambling business and one count of making false statements to federal investigators.
One of the five other defendants charged is Yevgeni Gershman, a suspected high-level member of an Israeli transnational organized crime group. All of this is documented to have transpired between September 2021 and July 2022.
If convicted, the defendants would face statutory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count. That means Arenas is possibly facing up to a maximum of 15 years behind bars.
It’s worth remembering that an indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Arenas was a three-time All-Star and was selected to an All-NBA team three times as well.
Details Of Arenas’ Alleged Involvement Leading To Arrest Revealed
Arenas is said to have rented his Encino mansion out for the purpose of hosting these illegal poker games. A man by the name of Arthur Kats would allegedly follow Arenas’ instructions to stage the mansion, find co-conspirators to host, and collected rent from those co-conspirators.
There were “Pot Limit Omaha” poker games among others. Young women were hired to offer companionship to the poker players in exchange for tips, drinks and massages. Chefs, valets and armed security guards were also hired.
Arenas is scheduled to make his initial appearance and be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Not Arenas’ First Run-In With The Law
Arenas infamously had a card game with former teammate Javaris Crittenton gone wrong in December 2009.
The result was the two conflicting to the point of Arenas bringing unloaded firearms to the locker room. Crittenton, in turn, brought a loaded gun.
Both Arenas and Crittenton pleaded guilty to misdemeanor gun charges. Arenas received two years probation, 30 days in a halfway house, 400 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine. Both players were also suspended for the remainder of the 2009-10 season.
Their reputations took a massive hit. Arenas got traded to the Orlando Magic after returning from suspension but stopped playing in May 2012. He also played for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Crittenton never played another NBA game again.
