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LOS ANGELES – Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas and five other defendants – including a suspected high-level member of an Israeli transnational organized crime group – were arrested today on a federal indictment alleging they operated an illegal gambling business in which high-stakes poker games were played at an Encino mansion Arenas owned.
Arenas, 43, a.k.a. “Agent Zero,” of Woodland Hills, 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.
He is scheduled to make his initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Also charged in the indictment and arrested today in connection with the illegal gambling business charges are:
Yevgeni Gershman, 49, a.k.a. “Giora,” of Woodland Hills; a suspected organized crime figure from Israel;
Evgenni Tourevski, 48, a.k.a. “Eugene,” of Tarzana;
Allan Austria, 52, a.k.a. “Elica,” of West Hills;
Yarin Cohen, 27, a.k.a. “YC,” of Tarzana; and
Ievgen Krachun, 43, of Tarzana.
Each of these defendants is charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of operating an illegal gambling business. Their initial appearances and arraignments are scheduled for this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
According to the indictment returned on July 15 and unsealed today, from September 2021 to July 2022, Gershman, Arenas, and the other defendants operated an illegal gambling business. Arenas rented out an Encino mansion he owned for the purpose of hosting high-stakes illegal poker games. At Arenas’ direction, Arthur Kats, 51, of West Hollywood, staged the mansion to host the games, found co-conspirators to host the games, and collected rent from the co-conspirators on Arenas’ behalf.
Gershman, Tourevski, Austria, and Cohen managed illegal “Pot Limit Omaha” poker games, among other illegal games, at the Encino mansion, collected a “rake” – a fee the house charged from each pot either as a percentage or a fixed amount per hand – and invited players to compete.
Gershman hired young women who, in exchange for tips, served drinks, provided massages, and offered companionship to the poker players. The women were charged a “tax” – a percentage of their earnings from working the games. Chefs, valets, and armed security guards also were hired to staff these illegal poker games.
Krachun worked as a “chip runner,” in which he tracked players’ wins and losses, distribute poker chips to players, and pay employees.
Gershman, an Israeli citizen, also 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. In early 2022, Gershman conspired with Cojocari to enter into a sham marriage for the purposes of obtaining permanent legal status in the United States and lied to immigration authorities to procure legal status for Gershman, who provided financial support to Cojocari in exchange for her participation in the sham marriage.
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 as to whether he intended to engage in illegal gambling or any other form of commercialized vice.
Cojocari also was arrested today and is scheduled to make her initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Northridge Office, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Major Crimes Division – Transnational Organized Crime Section, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Samuel J. Diaz of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan J. Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling the asset forfeiture-related portion of this case.
