Former NBA Star Gilbert Arenas, 5 others reportedly arrested in Encino Gambling bust, prosecutors say

Gilbert Arenas has been arrested in connection with a high-stakes illegal gambling ring that was allegedly run out of his home.

CNN has reported that the former NBA star, 43, was arrested on Wednesday after the Department of Justice levied accusations of operating the ring out of one of his homes in Encino, California, between September 2021 and July 2022. The athlete is now looking at a federal indictment on

"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," CNN has reported.

Everything we know about the case against Gilbert Arenas:

Yahoo! Sports has reported that Gilbert Arenas, a former three-time All-NBA guard, could be looking at up to 15 years in prison if convicted. He was one of five men named in the federal indictment, alongside a man named Yevgeni Gershman, who is allegedly linked to the Israeli crime underworld.

Investigators are also reportedly alleging that Arenas had another man named Arthur Kats "stage games, find co-conspirators to host games, and collect rent from co-conspirators on Arenas' behalf," per a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.

As of this writing, it remains unclear if Gilbert Arenas was in charge of helming the illicit activity, and Kats' name was not listed among those arrested by the Department of Justice, the release further stated. Gershman and the other co-conspirators allegedly managed the illicit games, including Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), and collected a "rake" fee, which is a fixed sum reserved for the house.

Yevgeni Gershman is accused of three counts, i.e.,

"conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud and making a false statement on an immigration document."

For The Win has reported that the other men who have also been charged and arrested include Yarin Cohen, 27, Evgenni Tourevski, 48, Allan Austria, 52, and Ievgen Krachun, 43.

During these alleged games, the men hired young women who "served drinks, provided massages, and offered companionship to the poker players." They also hired chefs, valets, and armed bodyguards to man these events.

Assistant United States Attorney Samuel J. Diaz of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting the case, which is being investigated by Homeland Security, the LAPD, and the IRS.

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Gilbert Arenas played for 11 seasons in the NBA, from 2001-2012. However, he is most known for his stint with the Washington Wizards, specifically from 2003 to 2010. During that time, he made three All-Star teams and three All-NBA squads.

In his career, he reportedly averaged 20.7 points and 5.3 assists per game. In recent days, he has been hosting his own podcast called Gil's Arena, which boasts over 1 million subscribers on YouTube.

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