Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas was arrested for allegedly running an illegal gambling business out of his Encino, Los Angeles, mansion. According to the US Attorney’s Office, Arenas has been brought up on three charges: conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, operating an illegal gambling business and making false statements to federal investigators.
According to the Washington Post, the alleged gambling activity took place from September 2021 to July 2022. During this time, Arenas is alleged to have rented his property to host high‑stakes Pot‑Limit Omaha poker games. Co‑conspirators allegedly hired staff, including chefs, armed security, valets, and young women to run the games smoothly and appease the guests.
Following the news of his arrest, on Thursday, rapper Boosie BadAzz came out in Arenas’ support. He called the charges “bullshit” and argued that Arenas simply hosted a private poker game at his house and won money.
“This Gilbert Arenas charge is bullshit. He set up a poker game at his spot and won off the hands played ‼️ WTF,” the rapper wrote on X. “That’s the same as getting a cut off a dice game that’s at your home and to millionaires, that’s a cleaning fee ‼️ You know how many successful athletes, rappers, coaches, business men and women call their friends over to fucking gamble 🎉? These are ex-professionals who enjoy gambling as a hobby ‼️
“This has been going on since the early 1900s. This is another tactic to take ‘us’ down. I’m not racist, but they’re not gonna lock up a white athlete or entertainer for playing poker at his damn house with his millionaire friends 😡. His name was on the poker table GTFOH, those be house decorations 😆. Every poker table I’ve seen at a house had their logo or name on it,” he continued.
THIS GIRBERT ARENAS CHARGE IS BULLSHIT . HE SET A POKER GAME AT HIS SPOT N WON OFF THE HANDS PLAYED ‼️WTF .THATS THE SAME AS A GETTING A CUT OFF A DICE GAME THATS AT YOUR HOME N TO MILLIONAIRES THATS A CLEANING FEE ‼️YOU KNOW HOW MANY SUCCESSFUL ATHLETES ,RAPPERS ,COACHES ,…
— Boosie BadAzz (@BOOSIEOFFICIAL) July 31, 2025
More Details Regarding the Investigation On Gilbert Arenas
Apart from Gilbert Arenas, the authorities also arrested Yevgeni Gershman. Moreover, four residents aged 27 to 52 are being charged with organizing and running games, managing staff, collecting fees, and staffing the events.
Arenas was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, where he pleaded not guilty and was awarded bail on a $50,000 bond.
According to CBS News, his trial starts on September 23. If Arenas is proven guilty, he can face up to five years in prison. The key point of the trial will be whether the poker games amounted to an illegal business or were a private gathering among friends, and also whether federal laws were knowingly and intentionally broken
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