Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas was arrested in Los Angeles on Wednesday after federal prosecutors indicted him for allegedly operating a sophisticated illegal gambling operation. The charges detail that Arenas, aged 43, hosted high-stakes poker nights at his lavish Encino mansion in California between September 2021 and July 2022. During this period, Arenas, along with five co-defendants, is reported to have transformed his home into an exclusive poker den, complete with custom tables branded as “Arenas Poker Club,” luxury amenities, and meticulous security management.

Court documents reveal that the operation was managed like a professional business, with Arenas’ associate, Arthur Kats, responsible for preparing the venue and recruiting others to help stage the mansion for the clandestine events. The indictment specifies that guests were charged a “rake”—a fee to participate in the poker games—on top of their actual betting losses, a practice that is strictly illegal under California and federal law. Staff at these events included private chefs, valets, and armed security to maintain the exclusive and discreet atmosphere. Yevgeni Gershman, another co-defendant described as an Israeli organized crime associate, allegedly managed recruitment of women who were paid to serve drinks, give massages, and offer companionship to the players, but were required to surrender a portion of their tips to the organizers as a kind of internal tax.

Federal authorities further allege that the recruitment of staff and the structuring of the operation were communicated through text messages and other evidence submitted to the court. Prosecutors provided photos of the custom poker tables, bearing Arenas’s number zero and silhouette, as proof of his direct involvement. Gershman is separately accused of exploring the possibility of arranging prostitution services at least once for the players. In addition to running the gambling business, Arenas and some of his partners also face charges of conspiracy and for making false statements to federal investigators, including denying prior arrests and knowledge of illegal activity on official documents.

Arenas appeared in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles for his arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty and was released on $50,000 bond while awaiting trial. If convicted on all counts—including conspiracy, conducting an illegal gambling business, and making false statements—he faces the prospect of significant prison time, with each count carrying up to five years. Attorneys for Arenas have emphasized his right to the presumption of innocence and have declined to comment in detail, pending further review of the case.