Feds arrest ex-NBA star Arenas for alleged ‘high-stakes illegal poker' at Encino mansion
Arenas, 43, rented out an Encino mansion that he owned between September 2021 and July 2022 'for the purposes of hosting high-stakes illegal poker games,' according to a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. Players were charged a 'rake' or tax to play, in addition to whatever they bet into various pots, prosecutors alleged in court records.
Best known for his time as a guard on the Washington Wizards, Arenas is identified in court records by his nickname 'Agent Zero.' He last played professionally in China in 2013.
Indicted alongside Arenas were: Yevgeni Gershman, 49, of Woodland Hills; Evgenni Tourevski, 48, of Tarzana, Allan Austria, 52, of West Hills; Yarin Cohen, 27, of Tarzana and Ievgen Krachun, 43, of Tarzana. Prosecutors described Gershman as a 'suspected organized crime figure' in Israel.
Gershman, Tourevski, Austria and Cohen managed the poker games, prosecutors said. Gershman also allegedly hired young women to serve drinks, provide massages and offer 'companionship' to players, according to the indictment.
The games began to come together in September 2021, according to the indictment. Kats texted Arenas asking whether he planned on doing his own game, records show. Arenas allegedly responded that he 'might throw plo games at my house,' referring to illegal 'Pot Limit Omaha' poker games at the 'Gable House.'
The following month, Arenas allegedly texted Kats the date that the house would be available to host, the amount of rent he wanted to charge and the number of games he planned on hosting there per week. In November 2021, authorities said Arenas texted Kats a picture of a gold-trimmed poker table with 'ARENAS POKER CLUB' printed on it and an image of a basketball player with a jersey with the name 'Arenas' and the number zero below it.
That year, in December, Kats allegedly texted Arenas saying that he owed him $14,000 for tables and chairs as a startup expense for hosting the games. That same month, Arenas allegedly told Kats he wanted the rake from an illegal poker game at the house to go to the mother of a deceased former lover.
Arenas is slated to make his initial appearance in downtown L.A. on Wednesday afternoon. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Gershman was separately accused of conspiring with 35-year-old Valentina Cojocari to enter into a 'sham marriage' so he could obtain legal permanent resident status in the U.S., prosecutors said.
This is not the first time Arenas has run afoul of authorities due to gambling. In 2009, Arenas and then-Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton allegedly pulled guns on each other during a locker room argument over a card game. Police launched an investigation and Arenas later admitted to having three guns in his locker. No charges were filed but he was suspended for most of the 2009-2010 NBA season.
Arenas' 18-year-old son, Alijah, was briefly placed in a coma after a serious car accident in Reseda earlier this year. The Chatsworth basketball standout and top-tier University of Southern California recruit has since recovered. Neither drugs nor alcohol were involved in the crash.
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