Gilbert Arenas arrested on charges of illegal poker games

[Brian in Mesa]

Gilbert Arenas arrested on charges of illegal poker games

Gilbert Arenas arrested on charges of illegal poker games

Gilbert Arenas was arrested in connection with a federal indictment that alleges the former NBA star hosted illegal high-stakes poker games at his mansion.

www.espn.com

Gilbert Arenas was arrested Wednesday in connection with a federal indictment that alleges the former NBA star hosted illegal high-stakes poker games at his mansion in Encino, California, according to a release from the United States Attorney's Office of Central California.

Arenas is officially 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 investigators.

He appeared in U.S. District Court on Wednesday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles and was released on a $50,000 bond after pleading not guilty to the charges. His trial is scheduled for Sep. 23.
Yevgeni "Giora" Gershman, a suspected high-level member of an Israeli organized crime group, and four other associates also were indicted and arrested in connection with the alleged illegal business, which prosecutors say operated from September 2021 to July 2022.

According to the indictment, Arenas rented out his Encino house and one of his associates staged the mansion for the poker games, recruited co-conspirators to host and collected rent from the co-conspirators on Arenas' behalf.

The indictment alleges that Gershman and the other defendants ran illegal "Pot Limit Omaha" poker games, among others, which collected a cut from each pot contested.

If convicted, Arenas and the other defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.

 

[elindholm]

I gotta be honest, I wouldn't have thought this was illegal. I can't charge people to attend a party I'm throwing at my house?

 

[Hoop Head]

I gotta be honest, I wouldn't have thought this was illegal. I can't charge people to attend a party I'm throwing at my house?

I could be wrong but I think the issue is opening it to more than friends is where the legality becomes an issue. A private game is one thing but allowing strangers in is where the legal issues arise.

In this case it looks like Arenas wasn't the target but is roped in as the owner of the house. He wasn't the focus of the sting.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Guessing this bit is the illegal part:

The indictment alleges that Gershman and the other defendants ran illegal "Pot Limit Omaha" poker games, among others, which collected a cut from each pot contested.

When you're collecting a cut you're essentially operating like a casino, which comes with all sorts of restrictions and licenses.

 

[oaken1]

Guessing this bit is the illegal part:

When you're collecting a cut you're essentially operating like a casino, which comes with all sorts of restrictions and licenses.

yup...its fine to exploit peoples bad decisions for profit. as long as uncle sam gets his fair cut.
basically a tax evasion charge

 

[GatorAZ]

Alijah is having a nightmare year. Car accident followed by a medically induced coma, then is fine but tears his knee in practice not to be outdone by his famous father getting arrested.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I just do not care about this story at all.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Guessing this bit is the illegal part:

When you're collecting a cut you're essentially operating like a casino, which comes with all sorts of restrictions and licenses.

This 100%. It's taking a 'rake' or a percentage of the winnings that gets you in trouble. Home poker games, even the highest of stakes are not illegal.

 

[elindholm]

This 100%. It's taking a 'rake' or a percentage of the winnings that gets you in trouble. Home poker games, even the highest of stakes are not illegal.

But if you charge everyone $1000 to enter the door, or $100/hour to sit at the table, that would be fine? Seems like a dumb law. I suspect it was made up by people who don't understand how a rake works in casino poker. Having a rake does not influence the game, except at very low stakes where the rake is large with respect to the size of a typical pot.

 

[TJ]

Alijah is having a nightmare year. Car accident followed by a medically induced coma, then is fine but tears his knee in practice not to be outdone by his famous father getting arrested.

Tommy didnt know about the gambling stuff, but I can tell you that Gil's volatility was a reason that he deprioritized Alijah

 

[GatorAZ]

Tommy didnt know about the gambling stuff, but I can tell you that Gil's volatility was a reason that he deprioritized Alijah

A lot of us ripped him for losing a legacy recruit but time prevails.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

But if you charge everyone $1000 to enter the door, or $100/hour to sit at the table, that would be fine? Seems like a dumb law. I suspect it was made up by people who don't understand how a rake works in casino poker.

Neither of these would be fine. By charging people to enter the door, or to sit per hour is the same. The establishment is making a profit regardless of the outcome.

Having a rake does not influence the game, except at very low stakes where the rake is large with respect to the size of a typical pot.

Sure doesn't. However, It is the larger casinos and mobsters than ran the casinos in the 50s and 60s that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) was put into try and stop organized crime. Those same statues still hold today.

You need a license and you can't get one in most of America. It's the reason why Native American casinos pop up everywhere. They don't have to abide by the same rules/regulations that the rest of the country does.