- Gilbert Arenas is linked to an illegal poker operation in Los Angeles.
- Yevgeni Gershman is the man who pleaded guilty to running the operations.
LOS ANGELES – Gilbert Arenas has been linked to an illegal poker operation in Los Angeles with ties to an Israeli organized crime group.
A Woodland Hills man, Yevgeni Gershman, pleaded guilty on four charges, including immigration fraud, money laundering, possession of a firearm, and illegal poker games.
Gershman is now set to face a 24-month sentence with three years' probation as well as a $50k fine, to top it off with his official hearing set for July 6.
Where Gilbert Arenas gets tied into the fold is that the operations were being run out of his mansion in Encino, which allegedly began taking place between late 2021 to mid-2022. It’s later been reported that Arenas rented his mansion to Gershman without knowledge of the operation.
Other names being tied to the operation are Yarin Cohen, Allan Austria, and Evgeni Tourevski. The California poker operation consisted of hiring private chefs, armed security, valet, and cocktail waitresses.
Following the plea agreement, it is nearly guaranteed that Gershman will be deported back to Israel. He first entered the United States in 2021 under a tourist visa.