Federal authorities announced on Wednesday that former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, along with seven associates, is facing charges for allegedly operating high-stakes illegal poker games at a rented home in Los Angeles. The games reportedly took place between September 12, 2021, and July 20, 2022.
Prosecutors claim that Arenas rented a residence on Gable Drive in Encino, a suburb in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, specifically to host these illegal poker games. While cash poker games are not illegal per se, the operation crossed legal boundaries as the organizers charged a ‘rake’—a fee from each pot, either as a percentage or a fixed amount per hand.
Additionally, officials identified a poker felt emblazoned with the label ‘ARENAS POKER CLUB,’ featuring an image of Arenas in his basketball uniform and his well-known No. Zero.
Arenas, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, is especially remembered for his prolific scoring during a stretch from 2004 to 2007, averaging 25.5, 29.3, and 28.4 points per game. His career also includes a notorious incident involving a weapons-related altercation with teammate Javaris Crittenton in December 2009.
The charges against Arenas and his co-defendants, including Yevgeni ‘Giora’ Gersham, Evgenni ‘Eugene’ Tourevski, Allan ‘Elicia’ Austria, Yarin ‘YC’ Cohen, Arthur Kats, Ievgen Krachun, and Valentina Cojocari, stem from a seven-count indictment. The group was expected to make their initial court appearance on Wednesday afternoon.
All defendants except Cojocari were implicated in the first two counts of conspiracy and illegal gambling. Arenas also faces an accusation of making false statements to investigators in a third count. Gersham and Cojocari are charged in a separate conspiracy count related to allegedly entering into a fraudulent marriage to dodge U.S. immigration laws, as outlined in the indictment.
Further allegations indicate that Gersham employed young women to serve drinks, provide massages, and offer companionship at the poker games in exchange for tips. In return, Gersham, Tourevski, Austria, and Cohen reportedly collected a ‘tax’ on the women’s earnings from their interactions at the games. The group also arranged for chefs, valets, and armed security to oversee the operations.
The scale of the poker games was significant; a gathering on July 19-20 featured approximately 26 players and over a dozen staff members. The defendants were apprehended without any disturbances by agents from the LAPD, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service.
