Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas was arrested Wednesday along with five others, accused of running an illegal high-stakes gambling operation out of his Encino, CA, mansion.
The Justice Department charged Arenas, 42, with conspiracy, operating an illegal gambling business, and making false statements to federal investigators.
The unsealed indictment, unsealed Wednesday, claims the games held between Sept. 2021 and July 2022 featured games like Pot Limit Omaha and were staffed with chefs, valets, young women, and armed guards. Authorities say the group took a cut from each pot, known as a “rake.”
Among the co-defendants is Yevgeni Gershman, 49, who prosecutors allege is tied to Israeli organized crime. Gershman also faces marriage fraud charges for allegedly entering a sham marriage to stay in the U.S.
The other men charged are Evgenii Tourevski, 48; Allan Austria, 52; Yarin Cohen, 27; and Ievgen Krachun, 43.
If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
Arenas, once a standout for the Washington Wizards, also played for the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, and China’s Shanghai Sharks.