Gilbert Arenas smilingWASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 18: Former Washington Wizards player Gilbert Arenas addresses the media (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has found himself at the center of a federal indictment following his arr3st this Wednesday.

Arenas was taken into custody in Los Angeles amid allegations of operating an illegal high-stakes poker game at a rented mansion on Gable Drive in L.A.’s Encino suburb.

The 43-year-old is reportedly facing three federal charges, including conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, operating an illegal gambling business, and making false statements to federal investigators.

Hosting a cash poker game isn’t illegal, but it’s considered criminal to “collect a rake,” a fee the house charges from each pot as a percentage or a fixed amount per hand.

Of note, Arenas was one of six individuals arr3sted, with Yevgeni Gershman, a suspected high-level Israeli crime figure, also one of them.

 

The former guard is accused of renting said property to host poker nights and other games from September 2021 to July 2022. According to the indictment, Arenas allegedly provided armed security, valets, chefs, and young females hired to serve drinks and massage players.

It’s said that there were custom poker felts bearing the name “ARENAS POKER CLUB” and an image of him in his iconic No. 0 jersey.

Gilbert Arenas Facing Several Years Behind Bars If Convicted

Dec 16, 2009; Sacramento, CA, USA; Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas (Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)
Arenas is scheduled to be arraigned at the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles this Wednesday.

If convicted, he could serve up to five years in prison on each charge.

Agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division, and the IRS Criminal Investigation unit coordinated the arr3sts.

Gilbert Arenas is familiar with controversy, having walked a fine line as a player. He was involved in an infamous locker room incident in 2009 in which guns were brandished.

Since retiring, he has managed to grab the headlines for some reason or another, but this latest incident is by far the most concerning.

Brittney Griner Finally Breaks Her Silence Over Alleged Caitlin Clark Comments That The WNBA Refused To Investigate

Brittney Griner speaking to reporterBrittney Griner (Photo via Twitter)
WNBA star Brittney Griner was at the center of a new debate over what she allegedly said in a game against basketball phenom Caitlin Clark.

The Atlanta Dream center found herself at the center of social media controversy last month when some fans thought she disparaged Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark upon fouling out.

The game’s broadcast focused on an upset Griner saying something as she returned to the Dream bench after fouling out of the game. While there’s no audio of this moment, some who tried to read Griner’s lips thought she called Clark a “trash f–king white girl.”

However, there’s no proof of Griner saying those actual words since others thought she stated something else.

It took weeks for someone to finally get a quote from her, and she provided much of nothing.

Brittney Griner was asked about this moment before her team’s June 15 game against the Washington Mystics and said, “I remember fouling out, being mad. I remember fouling out on, I believe it was [Natasha] Howard driving to the basket. They said I put my hand in.”

WNBA Chooses Not To Investigate Brittney Griner

Griner Drops F-Bomb, Apologizes Amid Clark Slur RowBrittney Griner (Photo By Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)
Moments before the conclusion of the Indiana Fever’s 81-76 victory over the Dream at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta weeks ago, cameras seemingly caught Atlanta Dream star center Brittney Griner labeling Caitlin Clark “trash” before calling her a “f***ing white girl” in frustration over a foul on Natasha Howard.

The clip of Griner speaking on the bench, lacking context, spread on social media and went viral.

Griner, who won a gold medal for Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024, essentially got aw@y with whatever came out of her mouth because the league basically ignored the controversy.

This incident is not the only time Griner vocalized her frustrations this season. Following another game, she stormed off mid-interview, yelling at the referees to “be f—ing better.