LOS ANGELES — A man with alleged ties to Israeli organized crime helped run high-stakes illegal poker games at a luxury Encino mansion owned by former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, according to authorities and court documents. Under a plea agreement, Gershman faces a sentence of 24 months in federal prison, along with three years of supervised release and a $50,000 fine. Gershman also has criminal convictions in Israel, including conspiracy to commit murder and narcotics trafficking, L.A. federal prosecutors said in court filings. The alleged illegal gambling took place between September 2021 and July 2022, when the Encino mansion was rented out on a regular basis to host the poker games, according to prosecutors. He also allegedly sent coded text messages to women inviting them to work the illegal poker games — in one case asking if a woman was open to engaging in prostitution at the house.

Source: Los Angeles Times April 09, 2026 00:37 UTC