Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas and five other people, including "a suspected high-level member of an Israeli transnational organized crime group," were arrested Wednesday, July 30 on a federal indictment alleging they operated an illegal gambling business in Encino, California, according the U.S. Department of Justice’s Attorney’s Office, Central District of California.
Arenas, 43, 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.
Also charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of operating an illegal gambling business:
According to the indictment that was unsealed Wednesday, July 30, Arenas and the other defendants "operated an illegal gambling business. Arenas rented out an Encino mansion he owned for the purpose of hosting high-stakes illegal poker games. At Arenas’ direction, Arthur Kats, 51, of West Hollywood, staged the mansion to host the games, found co-conspirators to host the games, and collected rent from the co-conspirators on Arenas’ behalf.
"Gershman, Tourevski, Austria, and Cohen managed illegal 'Pot Limit Omaha' poker games, among other illegal games, at the Encino mansion, collected a 'rake' – a fee the house charged from each pot either as a percentage or a fixed amount per hand – and invited players to compete.
