What's Inside?
- Gilbert Arenas allegedly ran luxury poker games with valets, chefs, and escorts from his Encino mansion between 2021 and 2022.
- Arenas and co-defendants reportedly profited from an illegal rake, with messages revealing his deep involvement in gambling logistics.
- Israeli crime ties, sham marriage, and federal charges deepen the scandal as Arenas pleads not guilty and secures bond release.
UPDATE: Gilbert Arenas is officially back and making noise. Fresh out of federal custody, the former NBA star hit social media with a bold message and a dance. In a video clip, Arenas is seen grooving on a staircase in a red-and-black outfit, letting fans know he’s free and unbothered.
Im Back on the Streets 🗣️This aint got shyt to do with me ‘ just rented the house’ Wasnt apart pic.twitter.com/ALjozzhzoY
— Gilbert Arenas (@NoChillGilZero) July 31, 2025
He didn’t hold back either. “This ain’t got shyt to do with me,” he wrote, adding that he had just rented the house and wasn’t involved. In a follow-up post, he doubled down with a meme of someone dancing out of a coffin, shouting, “THEY CAN’T HOLD ME.” The energy is loud and clear. Arenas is back on the streets and not looking back.
Original Story: Former NBA standout Gilbert Arenas, once a three-time All-Star for the Washington Wizards, was arrested Wednesday in connection with an alleged illegal gambling operation linked to his California mansion. Federal prosecutors claim Arenas, 43, was deeply involved in organizing high-stakes poker games from his luxury Encino home between September 2021 and July 2022. He now faces three federal charges and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Why Was Gilbert Arenas Arrested? Here’s What Happened
The indictment, unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Central California, paints a picture of an underground gambling circuit operating behind closed doors. According to prosecutors, Arenas allowed his Encino mansion to be used for poker games that featured significant buy-ins and a professional setup, including valets, armed guards, chefs, and women hired to serve drinks, give massages, and “offer companionship” to players in exchange for tips. Those tips were reportedly taxed by Arenas’ co-conspirators.
BREAKING: Gilbert Arenas and five other defendants – including a suspected high-level member of an Israeli transnational organized crime group – were arrested today on a federal indictment alleging they operated an illegal gambling business in which high-stakes poker games were… pic.twitter.com/i9KxTwn2Xb
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 30, 2025
Federal agents say the former NBA guard was not simply a landlord. Instead, he allegedly orchestrated operations with Arthur Kats, who staged the mansion for games, and directed others to manage the logistics. Arenas is accused of sharing profits from the illegal rake, a fee collected from each pot. Messages cited in court documents show Arenas discussing money collections and even a custom poker table bearing his name and likeness.
Yevgeni “Giora” Gershman, identified as a suspected member of an Israeli organized crime network, is named as a co-defendant. He and four others— Evgenni Tourevski, Allan Austria, Yarin Cohen, and Ievgen Krachun— were also arrested. Gershman faces additional charges of marriage fraud and filing false immigration documents, along with a co-defendant, Valentina Cojocari. Authorities believe Gershman paid Cojocari in a sham marriage to secure U.S. citizenship.
During his arraignment in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles, Arenas pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released on a $50,000 bond. His attorney, Jerome Friedberg, declined to delve into case specifics but emphasized Arenas’ legal rights. “At this point in the case, he is presumed innocent, right?” Friedberg told reporters. “He has the same right as any other citizen to that presumption and that’s how he should be treated.”
It Was Not Gilbert Arenas’ First Brush with Gambling Controversy
This isn’t the first time Arenas’ name has surfaced in connection with poker and conflict. Back in 2009, while playing for the Wizards, Arenas famously brought firearms into the team’s locker room following a heated argument over a card game debt. That incident led to a suspension and a felony gun charge.
Now the spotlight returns to Arenas, not for his basketball prowess, but for allegedly running an illegal poker circuit veiled in luxury and secrecy. With a trial date set for September 23, the former NBA star’s post-basketball legacy faces a serious legal test.
