Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas has responded to claims that he was part of an illegal poker ring in LA.
Arenas, alongside five other defendants, was arrested on Wednesday (30 July) and accused of hosting illegal high-stakes poker games at a mansion owned by Arenas in Encino, California.
However, he posted a video of himself on X dancing as he appears to be leaving court, stating “they can’t hold me”.
The video is also captioned: “This ain’t got shyt to do with me. Just rented the house. Wasn’t apart.”
Arenas, who spent 12 seasons in the NBA, has formally been 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, per a United States Attorney’s Office of Central California release.
The five other defendants, aged between 27 and 52, have been charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of operating an illegal gambling business.
Professional operation
According to the indictment, Arenas and the other defendants ran the illegal operation from September 2021 and July 2022.
Players, none of which have been named, took part in games of “Pot Limit Omaha”, among others, and were charged a rake – a cut of each pot or a flat fee per hand collected by the organisers.
Under California law, a poker match becomes illegal if someone running the game takes a house cut, or fee.
Prosecutors state that in messages between Arenas and the other defendants, they discovered images of a poker table bearing Arenas’ name and likeness.
Prosecutors also allege that the group hired chefs, valets and armed security guards to staff the games.
Young women were also hired to serve drinks, provide massages and offer companionship to the poker players in exchange for tips. The women were allegedly charged a ‘tax’ on these earnings by the co-conspirators.
Arenas appeared in US District Court on Wednesday afternoon in LA and pled not guilty to the charges. He was released on a $50,000 bond and his trial is scheduled for 23 September.
If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in federal prison for each count.
International crime group
One of the defendants in the case, Yevgeni Gershman, known as “Giora”, is an Israeli citizen suspected of being part of an organised crime group.
Alongside the charges related to the poker ring, has also been accused of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud and making a false statement on an immigration document.
It is alleged that the 49-year old, alongside Valentina Cojocari, 35, entered into a sham marriage for the purposes of obtaining permanent legal status in the US, and lied to immigration to gain legal status for Gershman.
Agent Zero
Arenas, 43, starred most notably for the Washington Wizards during his career, in which he averaged 20.7 points per game, and was known by the nickname Agent Zero due to his jersey number.
The three time NBA all-star is also no stranger to controversy and this is not the first time that gambling has led to Arenas being in trouble with the law.
In December 2009, Arenas and his Washington Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton were involved in an incident where they brought guns into the team’s locker room following a dispute about a card game.
Arenas subsequently pled guilty to carrying an unlicensed pistol outside a home or business, and was also suspended for the season by the NBA.
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