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Gambling has become a big part of the sports world, and there have been punishments that have come down when players end up getting involved. In this most recent situation, it had to do with former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, and he was arrested after allegedly being a part of an illegal gambling business, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.
“Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas and suspected Israeli crime figure were arrested today on federal indictment alleging they operated illegal gambling business in which high-stakes poker games were played at Encino mansion Arenas owned,” Haynes wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Arenas is 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.
Five other people were charged in the indictment and arrested in connection with the illegal gambling business, and were charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of operating an illegal gambling business.
As stated in the indictment, from September 2021 to July 2022, Arenas and the other defendants built an illegal gambling business. Arenas decided to rent out an Encino mansion he owned for the purpose of hosting high-stakes illegal poker games.
Arthur Kats, who lived in West Hollywood, would stage the mansion to host the games, find co-conspirators to host the games, and would collect rent from the co-conspirators on Arenas’ behalf.
According to the indictment, the other defendants would manage illegal poker games at the Encino mansion and collect a rake, which was a fee the house charged from each pot either as a percentage or a fixed amount per hand.
If they're convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
