Former Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas, 43, often known as “Agent Zero,” was arrested on Wednesday with six different defendants on prices associated to what prosecutors claimed was a classy unlawful playing enterprise that operated out of a luxe mansion in suburban Los Angeles.
In response to court docket data, a cornerstone of the unlawful poker video games was the house Arenas owned on Gable Drive in Encino. Authorities alleged Arenas rented out the property, which was then staged as a high-end poker den that includes Pot-Restrict Omaha, a sport much like Texas Maintain ‘em. The poker nights allegedly featured employed cooks, armed guards, valets and a customized felt-topped poker desk with “Arenas Poker Membership” embossed in all-caps and black and gold.
The indictment alleges that one man within the crew, Israeli suspected organized crime determine Yevgeni Gershman, employed ladies to work on the video games. In trade for ideas, the ladies served cocktails, supplied massages and provided “companionship” to poker gamers, the indictment states. The ladies have been then required to pay a “tax” of 25% to 35% of their earnings simply to have the ability to work on the video games, authorities declare.
Prosecutors alleged Gershman in Might 2022 texted a girl to ask her, in code, “whether or not she was open to partaking in prostitution at his unlawful poker sport on the Gable Home that night time.”
Makes an attempt to succeed in Arenas and Gershman have been unsuccessful.
Arenas performed within the NBA for 11 seasons on groups such because the Wizards, Golden State Warriors, and Orlando Magic. Following his basketball profession, he launched a second act in enterprise, internet hosting a podcast, No chill with Gilbert Arenas, after beginning his personal media firm with the identical title. He additionally streams a YouTube present weekly that features NBA personalities, and he’s made a number of investments in actual property ventures in California and Virginia. Arenas married French YouTuber and singer Melli Monaco this yr.
Prosecutors declare the poker video games differed from pleasant card-game nights as a result of the home collected a “rake,” which is a share or fastened charge from every pot. The video games concerned roughly two dozen gamers and greater than a dozen workers members to facilitate unlawful playing, prosecutors mentioned, and operated from September 2021 by means of July 2022.
The indictment lays out an advanced allegedly felony enterprise centering across the video games. Gershman, 49, allegedly dealt with the day-to-day, whereas Arenas allegedly collected hire and charges by means of an agent. West Hollywood man Arthur Kats, 51, allegedly served because the go-between, authorities mentioned, gathering 1000’s of {dollars} in hire funds and establishing the home for sport nights. 4 others have been charged, in keeping with court docket paperwork, together with Evgenni Tourevski, 48, of Tarzana; Allan Austria, 52, of West Hills; Yarin Cohen, 27, of Tarzana; and Ievgen Krachun, 43, of Tarzana. The indictment states that crew allegedly managed the precise operations, recruiting gamers and dealing with cash.
Authorities mentioned Tourevski allegedly dealt with sellers, texting contacts in his telephone saved as “Frankie Poker Supplier” and “Supplier Poker” to rearrange croupiers for the desk video games. Austria allegedly managed safety, bringing in armed guards and texting images of video games whereas they have been in progress. Cohen allegedly dealt with the funds, texting the others with knowledge displaying the quantities of the rakes, “taxes,” and bills, the indictment states. Krachun allegedly labored as a “chip runner” who tracked wins and losses, distributed poker chips, and paid employees, court docket data present.
Federal brokers raided the Encino mansion in July 2022, the indictment states, and Arenas allegedly tried, at that time, to distance himself from the poker video games. In a petition to recuperate cash seized within the raid, Arenas claimed he “was not concerned in no matter was occurring on the get together.”
The indictment consists of textual content messages allegedly displaying that Arenas was conscious of pot-limit Omaha video games and that he at one level contemplated filming a YouTube episode at one of many video games for his channel, Gil’s Area, which has greater than 1 million subscribers.
The defendants face 5 years on every of the fees.
Tourevski, Austria, Cohen, Kats, and Krachun couldn’t be reached for remark.
