• Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas arrested for allegedly running illegal poker games.
• He faces charges of conspiracy, operating an illegal gambling business, and making false statements.
• Arenas was released on a $50,000 bond after pleading not guilty during his court appearance.
• Five co-defendants, including a suspected organized crime figure, were also arrested.
• If convicted, Arenas could face up to 15 years in prison for the charges.

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has been arrested and charged alongside five other defendants for allegedly operating an illegal gambling operation out of his Encino, California mansion. According to the Department of Justice, the group is accused of running high-stakes poker games that included the hiring of women to provide "companionship" and other services during the games, details confirmed by federal prosecutors on Wednesday, according to abcnews and huffpost.

Arenas, also known as "Agent Zero," 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, along with co-defendants, allegedly hosted poker games from September 2021 to July 2022, fulfilling multiple roles within the operation, including managing the logistics and hiring staff, as reported by latimes and cbsnews.

The prosecution alleges that Arenas organized these games and earned money from a "rake" charged to players, while women employed for the games were required to pay a portion of their earnings back to the operators. Among those arrested with Arenas is Yevgeni Gershman, identified as a suspected organized crime figure from Israel, who reportedly coordinated aspects of the illegal operations and hired personnel, according to sfgate and bbc.

During a recent court appearance, Arenas pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released on a $50,000 bond. His trial is set for September 23, where he faces potential penalties of five years in prison per count if convicted, as stated by aljazeera and africanews.

Facing serious allegations once again, Arenas' previous legal troubles include a notable incident from 2009 involving firearms in a team locker room, raising questions about his long-term prospects in both sports and public life following this recent arrest, detailed by newsweek and indiatimes.