Gilbert Arenas was arrested on Wednesday after the Department of Justice filed charges against the former NBA star for running a high-stakes illegal poker game in Los Angeles. Arenas, along with five others, were charged with operating an illegal gambling business, with the group containing an alleged member of an Israeli organized crime syndicate.
Information about the charges from the DOJ state that Arenas and the five charged organized the game out of an Encino, California mansion owned by Arenas. Here, high-stakes players would bet substantial sums of money, with the organization taking a cut, or “rake” from each hand.
It’s here that the game becomes illegal. Private poker games aren’t explicitly illegal in the United States, but it’s against the law for the house to take a cut of any proceedings. The game was played on a custom poker table emblazoned with “ARENAS POKER CLUB,” complete with an image of Arenas’ No. 0 basketball jersey.
The list of those charged, the alleged crimes, and information about each from the DOJ includes:
- Gilbert Arenas, 43 — Former NBA star
One count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business, one count of making false statements to federal investigators - Yevgeni Gershman, 49 — Associate, suspected organized crime figure in Israel
One count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business, one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, one count of marriage fraud, one count of making false statements on an immigration document - Evgenni Tourevski, 48 — Associate
One count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business - Allan Austria, 52 — Associate
One count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business, - Yarin Cohen, 27 — Associate
One count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business, - Ievgen Krachun, 43 — Associate
One count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business,
It’s alleged that in addition to the gambling ring, Gershman also entered a “sham marriage” with a United States citizen to gain legal residency in exchange for money, and lying on his immigration paperwork when asked if he had been detained for a crime before, and whether he intended to engage in illegal gambling, or another commercial vice.
All were arrested by LAPD officers on Wednesday without incident. Arenas faces up to five years in prison for the crimes.
