by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
July 31, 2025
The ‘Gil’s Enviornment’ host was arrested together with 5 different individuals suspected of collaborating in an unlawful playing enterprise at his Encino mansion
Former NBA player-turned-podcast host Gilbert Arenas has been arrested after being accused of operating an unlawful playing ring at his residence.
The U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace, Central District of California, introduced the arrest of Arenas and 5 different individuals suspected of collaborating in an unlawful playing enterprise at his Encino mansion. Together with Arenas, identified throughout his enjoying days within the NBA as “Agent Orange,” Yevgeni Gershman, AKA “Giora,” of Woodland Hills, Evgenni Tourevski, AKA “Eugene,” of Tarzana, Allan Austria, AKA “Elica,” of West Hills, Yarin Cohen, AKA “YC,” of Tarzana, and Ievgen Krachun, of Tarzana, had been additionally taken in and charged.
The group of males was detained on a federal indictment alleging that they operated an unlawful playing enterprise that includes high-stakes poker video games.
The 43-year-old former baller is charged with one rely of conspiracy to function an unlawful playing enterprise, one rely of working an unlawful playing enterprise, and one rely of constructing false statements to federal investigators. The opposite defendants had been charged with one rely of conspiracy to function an unlawful playing enterprise and one rely of working an unlawful playing enterprise. Gershman can be suspected of being an organized crime determine from Israel.
Court docket paperwork state that from September 2021 to July 2022, Gershman, Arenas, and the opposite defendants had been concerned within the alleged unlawful playing enterprise. The previous Washington Wizards participant rented out a mansion he owned to stage the poker video games. Arthur Kats, of West Hollywood, was directed by Arenas to arrange the video games, discover individuals to host them, and gather hire from them on behalf of Arenas.
There have been additionally younger ladies employed to work the video games, and in alternate for ideas, they served the gamers drinks, gave them massages, and supplied companionship to the individuals on the poker video games. The ladies had been charged a “tax,” which amounted to a share of their earnings. Different individuals employed to work the video games included cooks, valets, and armed safety guards.
Gershman, an Israeli citizen, together with Valentina Cojocari, of Woodland Hills, had been charged with three further counts – conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud, and making a false assertion on an immigration doc. In 2022, Gershman and Cojocari married to acquire everlasting authorized standing in america, and Gershman lied to immigration authorities to safe their authorized standing. The Israeli citizen paid Cojocari in alternate for her participation within the sham marriage.
If convicted, every defendant faces a statutory most sentence of 5 years in federal jail for every rely.
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