Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas was arrested on federal charges in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a federal indictment alleged that Arenas and five others, including a high-level member of an Israeli organized crime group, were operating illegal high-stakes poker games at Arenas’ Encino home.
According to a press release from the Central District of California’s U.S District Attorney’s office, Arenas is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon at the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. The 43-year-old former three-time NBA All-Star has been charged with one count each of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, operating an illegal gambling business, and making false statements to federal investigators.
Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas and suspected Israeli crime figure arrested on federal indictment alleging high-stakes illegal poker games at Encino mansion https://t.co/OGzbtTfuGa
— US Attorney L.A. (@USAO_LosAngeles) July 30, 2025
Yevgeni Gershman, a 49-year-old high-ranking Israeli mobster nicknamed “Giora”, was also arrested in the sting alongside four others. Each was charged with the same count of conspiracy and operating an illegal gambling business that Arenas was, although Arenas was the only one charged with making false statements.
“According to the indictment returned on July 15 and unsealed today, from September 2021 to July 2022, Gershman, Arenas, and the other defendants operated an illegal gambling business. Arenas rented out an Encino mansion he owned for the purpose of hosting high-stakes illegal poker games,” The U.S. District Attorney’s statement said. At Arenas’ direction, Arthur Kats, 51, of West Hollywood, staged the mansion to host the games, found co-conspirators to host the games, and collected rent from the co-conspirators on Arenas’ behalf.
“Gershman, Tourevski, Austria, and Cohen managed illegal “Pot Limit Omaha” poker games, among other illegal games, at the Encino mansion and invited players to compete. Gershman hired young women who, in exchange for tips, served drinks, provided massages, and offered companionship to the poker players. The women were charged a “tax” – a percentage of their earnings from working the games.”
Gershman was also charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud, and making a false statement on an immigration document. The US District Attorney’s statement said that each defendant “would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count” if convicted.
BREAKING: Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas and five other defendants, including a suspected high-level Israeli crime figure, were arrested today on a federal indictment alleging they operated an illegal gambling business in which high-stakes poker games were played at an Encino… pic.twitter.com/hTNSioq3Cf
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 30, 2025
Arenas had previously been in talks with NBC to potentially join their team of analysts amid the network’s highly anticipated return to broadcasting the NBA this upcoming season, although his arrest will likely derail any possibility of that coming to fruition.
His NBA career was famously derailed by a 2009 incident in the Washington Wizards locker room where he and Javaris Crittenton pulled guns on each other over a gambling dispute. Arenas was given a felony gun charge as a result and was suspended for the remainder of the 2009-10 season.
The former NBA star had risen back into national relevance through his media career, notably on his own podcast, Gil’s Arena, produced and funded by Underdog Sports. Arenas’ son Alijah is a five-star freshman on the USC basketball team, although he was recently ruled out for the season after suffering a torn meniscus while training.
