Overview

• Charged on July 31 with organizing high-stakes poker games at his Encino residence between September 2021 and July 2022, Arenas faces accusations of running an illegal gambling ring.
• Prosecutors accuse him and five co-defendants, including a suspected member of an Israeli criminal network, of using text messages and a rake system to coordinate and profit from unlicensed poker events.
• He pleaded not guilty in his initial hearing and secured release on $50,000 bail.
• The three-count indictment includes operating an illegal gambling business and making false statements to investigators, exposing him to a potential multi-year prison term.
• The federal trial in Los Angeles is set to open on September 23, marking a key phase in the government’s efforts against underground gaming operations.