Why was Gilbert Arenas arrested? Gambling charges against the ex-NBA star explained

NBA star Gilbert Arenas was arrested for running an illegal gambling operation from his Encino home, along with five others, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Updated on: Jul 31, 2025, 02:16:16 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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NBA great and former Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas has been arrested for operating an illegal gambling business out of his home in Encino, California. Along with him, five other people have been arrested in the same case, federal prosecutors in California announced Wednesday.

The 43-year-old faces a total of three counts of charges: The charges include conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, running such a business, and making false statements to federal investigators - one count each.

The Department of Justice announced that among the five individuals arrested with the NBA star one was an alleged operative of an Israeli organized crime group. All of them face similar charges as Arenas.

Charges Against Gilbert Arenas Explained

The Department of Justice accused Gilbert Arenas and the other five operatives of conspiracy for allegedly hosting high-stakes poker games at his mansion in Encino, California. The DOJ said that among the operatives, Arenas was known by the moniker "Agent Zero."

The indictment made public on Wednesday stated that the Arenas rented out the mansion in Encino that he owned for the purpose of hosting the illegal poker games. It said that a 51-year-old man named Arthur Kats collected rent on behalf of Arenas from the illegal gambling operatives from September 2021 to July 2022. He has also been charged with deliberately lying to federal prosecutors.

Arenas and the five other illegal gambling operatives are set to appear in court on Wednesday (July 30) afternoon.

Also read: Gilbert Arenas arrested, Shannon Sharpe fired: Fans baffled at odd timing, ask ‘what is happening?’

Who else was arrested with Arenas?

The five people indicted with Arenas are:

Allan Austria, 52, from West Hills.

Evgenni Tourevski, 48, from Tarzana;

Ievgen Krachun, 43, from Tarzana.

Yarin Cohen, 27, from Tarzana

Yevgeni Gershman, 49, of Woodland Hills, member of a organized crime group in Israel

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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