Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas was among six men arrested Wednesday on a federal indictment that they operated an illegal gambling business at an Encino, California, mansion owned by Arenas. The Justice Department says Arenas is charged with one 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 an indictment returned July 15 and unsealed Wednesday, Arenas and the other defendants are accused of operating an illegal gambling business from September 2021 to July 2022, with Arenas renting out his mansion for the purpose of hosting illegal high-stakes poker games (including “Pot Limit Omaha” games). The defendants are said to have collected a “rake” — a fee the house charged from each pot — and staffed the games with young women, chefs, valets, and armed security guards.
Among the co-conspirators is 49-year old Yevgeni Gershman, who authorities believe to be an Israeli organized crime figure. In addition to the charges stemming from the illegal gambling business, Gershman also faces charges of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud; marriage fraud; and making a false statement on an immigration document after being accused of conspiring to enter into a sham marriage with 35-year old Valentina Cojocari for the purposes of obtaining permanent legal status in the United States and lying to immigration authorities.
Additional defendants also include 48-year-old Evgenii Tourevski, 52-year-old Allan Austria, 27-year-old Yarin Cohen, and 43-year-old Ievgen Krachun. If convicted, each of the defendants face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count.
Arenas was a three-time NBA All-Star best remembered for his tenure with the Washington Wizards, which he spent the majority of his career with after originally being drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2001. Arenas also played for the Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association.