Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas facing federal charges for illegal poker games
Arenas, 43, of Woodland Hills, Calif., is charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business, and one count of making false statements to federal investigators.
He is scheduled to make his initial appearance and be arraigned on Wednesday afternoon in US District Court in downtown Los Angeles. If convicted, he would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
Also charged on Wednesday in the indictment were Yevgeni "Giora" Gershman, 49, of Woodland Hills; Allan "Elica" Austria, 52, of West Hills,Calif.; and Evgenni "Eugne" Tourevski, 48, Yarin "YC" Cohen, 27 and Ievgen Krachun, 43, all of Tarzana, Calif.
Gershman is a suspected high-level organized crime figure from Israel, according to the news release from the US attorney's office.
Arenas and the other defendants operated an illegal gambling business from September 2021 to July 2022, according to the indictment that was unsealed on Wednesday. Arenas rented out the Encino mansion for the co-conspirators to host the illegal "Pot Limit Omaha" poker games, among other illegal games, with a fee charged from each pot either as a percentage or a fixed amount per hand.
Gershman hired women who were paid in tips and served drinks, provided massages and offered companionship to the poker players -- with the women charged a percentage of their earnings by the business operators, per the indictment. Chefs, valets and armed security guards also were hired to staff the games.
Arenas was a three-time All-Star, and All-NBA second-team selection in 2006-07 and third team in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
He averaged 20.7 points, 5.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 552 regular-season games (455 starts) for the Golden State Warriors (2001-03), Washington Wizards (2003-10), Orlando Magic (2010-11) and Memphis Grizzlies (2012).
His NBA career was overshadowed by a locker-run incident in December 2009 in which he and Washington teammate Javaris Crittenden brought guns into the locker room two days after having a dispute on a flight during a card game. Arenas was suspended for the remainder of the 2009-10 season.
The Warriors selected Arenas in the second round (31st overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft out of Arizona. —Field Level Media/Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
6 hours ago
- GMA Network
NBA champion Isaiah Joe visits Manila
An NBA champion is in the Philippines. On Friday, Isaiah Joe of the Oklahoma City Thunder talked to the media before interacting with fans at the NBA Store in Mandaluyong. Joe is coming off his first NBA title as the Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals last June. "You definitely have to see it to believe it. The fact that I've touched down here and I'm getting to see it is definitely amazing," Joe said about the Filipinos' love for basketball. Joe talks about the Philippines' love for basketball: You definitely have to see it to believe it... It's definitely amazing. It exceeds what people are saying. @gmasportsph — JK Carandang (@jk_carandang) August 1, 2025 "It actually exceeds what people say... Once you live through it and actually experience it, it's like wow, this is real." Last season, Joe posted averages of 10.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Asked if the Thunder can make another run for the title, Joe said they need to be hungrier than last season. "We have to be hungry, even more hungry than we were last season. I understand that there's a target on our backs. Nobody wants us to repeat. So have a zero-zero mindset that none of this that happened in the past carries over. Everything's new, it's a new slate," he added. Joe, 49th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, will also be holding activities in the Philippines this weekend. NBA star Ja Morant is also in the Philippines and showcased his talent at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. —GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
14 hours ago
- GMA Network
LeBron James, Nikola Jokic meet about new hoops league —report
Apr 30, 2025; LeBron James moves to the basket against Julius Randle during the first half in Game 5 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. (Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images/REUTERS) NBA superstars LeBron James and Nikola Jokic would form a dominating duo, which is why there was so much interest in their recent get-together in France. While the meet-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets stars was not about forming an on-court partnership, it was about the reported global basketball league being backed by James' agent Maverick Carter, Front Office Sports reported Thursday. Jokic's agent, Misko Raznatovic, is known to have significant influence on basketball in Europe. A report from Bloomberg in January revealed Carter's interest to raise as much as $5 billion for a men's and women's league of international teams that would travel together to as many as eight different cities to play games then move to the next locale. Interested investors include the government of Singapore and the Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which started LIV Golf, purchased Newcastle United of the English Premier League and formed a partnership with tennis' ATP and WTA tours. The NBA also is interested in starting a satellite league in Europe, while revealing this week that the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic will play games against each other in Berlin and London in January. --Field Level Media/Reuters
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
Grizzlies, Magic to meet in Berlin, London in January
Apr 18, 2025; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts with guard Desmond Bane (22) during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at FedExForum.(Photo: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images/REUTERS) The Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic will meet for two regular-season games in Europe this winter, the NBA announced Wednesday. They will square off at the Uber Arena in Berlin on Jan. 15 and at The O2 in London on Jan. 18. The game in Berlin will mark the first NBA regular-season game ever played in Germany. The contest in London will be the 10th regular-season contest in England's capital city. The league also announced that regular-season games will be played in Manchester, England, and Paris in 2027, and in Berlin and Paris in 2028. Dates and participating teams will be announced at a later date. "Announcing the next three season's regular-season games in Europe reflects the incredible momentum and appetite for NBA basketball in France, Germany, the UK and across the region," said George Aivazoglou, the NBA's managing director for Europe and the Middle East. "We look forward to welcoming the Grizzlies and the Magic to Berlin and London and to engaging fans, players and the local communities through the games and the surrounding events." The Grizzlies will be playing their fifth and six games in Europe and first in both Berlin and London. The Magic will be playing their fourth and fifth games in Europe, the first in Berlin and third in London. "We appreciate the opportunity to represent the NBA and to represent the city of Memphis and state of Tennessee on an international stage in Berlin and London," Grizzlies president Jason Wexler said. "... We are excited for fans worldwide to see the talents of the Memphis Grizzlies on full display." Current members of Orlando's roster include German brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner and German-born forward Tristan da Silva. "To have the Orlando Magic and the NBA play a regular-season game in our hometown of Berlin means everything to us," read a statement from the Wagner siblings. "Growing up here, we dreamed of moments like this. It's a huge honor to represent Berlin and Germany and show how much the city and country love basketball. We hope we can inspire kids the way we were inspired watching games from afar." --Field Level Media/Reuters
