Gilbert Arenas, suspected Israeli 'crime figure' among six arrested by DOJ for illegal poker ring

Former NBA superstar Gilbert Arenas was among six individuals — including a suspected Israeli “crime figure” — arrested by the United States’ Department of Justice on a federal indictment alleging they ran high-stakes illegal poker games from Arenas’ Encino, Calif. mansion, the DOJ announced Wednesday.

The 43-year-old Arenas, a three-time NBA All-Star who played 13 years in the league between 2001-13, was 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 officials, according to a press release by the Justice Department. Arenas is slated to make an initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon where he’ll be arraigned in the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

Among Arenas’ co-defendants includes Yevgeni Gershman, 49, who is also reportedly known as “Giora” and is a suspected “high-level member of an Israeli transnational organized crime group” according to the Justice Department release. Others arrested were Allan Austria, 52; Yarin Cohen, 27; Ievgen Krachun, 43; and Evgenni Tourevski, 48.

According to the DOJ indictment returned July 15 and unsealed Wednesday, Arenas and Gershman operated an illegal poker business from a rented Encino mansion from Sept. 2021-July 2022. Arenas allegedly directed Arthur Kats, 51, to stage the mansion to host the poker games, found co-conspirators to host the actual games and collected rent from the co-conspirators on Arenas’ behalf.

Four of Arenas’ co-defendants managed the illegal “Pot Limit Omaha” poker games among other illegal games. Gershman also allegedly hired “young women who, in exchange for tips, served drinks, provided massages, and offereed companionship to the poker players,” according to the DOJ release. Chefs, valets and armed security was also hired to staff the illegal gambling events.

Gershman and Valentina Cojocari, 35, are also charged with three additional counts of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud, and making false statements on an immigration document. The pair allegedly submitted false information on their U.S. immigration forms, including Gershman answering “no” regarding whether he’d ever been detained by any law enforcement official and whether he intended to engage in illegal gambling or any other form of commercialized crime, per the DOJ release.

Arenas, who is an Arizona alum (1999-2001), played 13 years in the NBA, including eight years (2003-10) with the Washington Wizards, where he had the most success during his career. Arenas also played for the Golden State Warriors (2001-03), the Orlando Magic (2010-11) and the Memphis Grizzlies (2012), and also played overseas for the Shanghai Sharks (2012-13).