Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas arrested on charges of illegal high-stakes poker games

Gilbert Arenas, the former NBA All-Star guard, was arrested Wednesday in connection with a federal indictment accusing him of running illegal high-stakes poker games at a mansion he owned in Encino, California. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced the charges alongside the arrests of five others, including Yevgeni "Giora" Gershman, a suspected high-level figure in an Israeli organized crime group.

Charges and allegations

Arenas faces three counts under the federal indictment: one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating such a business, and one count of making false statements to federal investigators. He is scheduled for arraignment in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

According to court documents unsealed July 30, 2025, Arenas allegedly rented out his Encino mansion from September 2021 to July 2022 specifically to host these illegal poker games. One of his associates took charge of staging the mansion for the events, recruiting co-conspirators to manage the games, and collecting rent from these individuals on Arenas’ behalf.


The operation primarily featured "Pot Limit Omaha" poker games, with managers collecting a “rake” — a percentage fee taken from each game pot — constituting the core of the illegal gambling business. Prosecutors describe the enterprise as comprising a well-organized team running the gambling nights with hired staff.

Details of the gambling operation

Federal prosecutors revealed that the illegal poker nights were staffed with chefs, valets, and armed security to maintain a luxurious and secure environment. Young women were hired to serve drinks, give massages, and offer companionship to the players, with a percentage of the tips they earned also collected by the operators, effectively taxing their income.

According to the indictment, Gershman, a key figure in the group, managed recruitment of the women and overall operations, while other defendants handled accounting and game management duties.

Text messages submitted as evidence showed Arenas coordinating the poker events, discussing rental fees, scheduling, and even sharing images of custom poker tables emblazoned with "ARENAS POKER CLUB" and a basketball player logo wearing Arenas’ number zero jersey.

Background on Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas, nicknamed “Agent Zero,” is a three-time NBA All-Star who played primarily with the Washington Wizards and last competed professionally in 2013. After retiring, Arenas gained renewed public attention as a podcast host discussing basketball and related topics.

This is not Arenas’ first legal trouble involving games of chance; in 2009, he was involved in an incident on a team flight tied to a card game dispute that escalated into a weapons violation.

Potential penalties and judicial process

If convicted on all counts, Arenas faces up to five years in federal prison for each offense. The other defendants have also been charged with conspiracy and illegal gambling operation counts.

This case highlights the federal authorities' efforts to crack down on illegal gambling operations, especially those with ties to organized crime, and the use of high-profile venues and individuals.