Ex-NBA Star, Israeli Mobster Ran Illegal Gambling Ring From Player's LA Home: Federal Prosecutors

LOS ANGELES, CA — Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas and a high-level member of an Israeli organized crime group were among six people arrested Wednesday as part of a federal case claiming they operated an illegal gambling business in the San Fernando Valley, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Arenas, 43, of Woodland Hills, is charged with conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, operating an illegal gambling business, and making false statements to federal investigators, prosecutors said.

Five others are charged in the indictment with conspiracy and operating an illegal gambling business:

• Yevgeni Gershman, 49, of Woodland Hills, who prosecutors say is a suspected organized crime figure from Israel
• Evgenni Tourevski, 48, of Tarzana
• Allan Austria, 52, of West Hills
• Yarin Cohen, 27,of Tarzana
• Ievgen Krachun, 43, of Tarzana

If convicted as charged, the defendants would face up to five years in federal prison for each count, prosecutors said.

Arenas is accused of renting out his own Encino mansion to host high-stakes illegal poker games. He directed Arthur Kats, 51, of West Hollywood, to stage the house to host the games, found co-conspirators to operate them and collected rent on the former basketball player's behalf from September 2021 to July 2022, prosecutors said.

Gershman, Tourevski, Austria and Cohen managed games including "Pot Limit Omaha" poker at the home, collected a fee the house charged from each pot and invited players to compete, prosecutors claim.

Young women collected tips to serve drinks, provide massages and offer companionship to the poker players. Organizers charged the women a percentage of their earnings from working the games. Chefs, valets and armed security guards also were hired to staff the games, prosecutors claim.

Krachun worked as a "chip runner," tracking the players' wins and losses, distributing poker chips and paying employees, prosecutors said.

Gershman is charged along with Valentina Cojocari, 35, of Woodland Hills, with three additional counts — conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud and making a false statement on an immigration document, prosecutors said.

Gershman and Cojocari entered into a sham marriage in 2022 for the purposes of obtaining permanent legal status in the U.S. and lied to immigration authorities to procure legal status for Gershman, who provided financial support to Cojocari in exchange for her participation in the marriage, prosecutors said.

Both Gershman and Cojocari submitted false information on their U.S. immigration forms, including Gershman's answers of "no" as to whether he had ever been detained by any law enforcement official and whether he intended to engage in illegal gambling or any other form of commercialized vice, federal prosecutors said.

Cojocari was also arrested Wednesday and is scheduled to appear in court later with the other defendants.

The defendants were scheduled to make their initial appearances and arraignments Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

City News Service contributed to this report.