Judge Calls Sentence Too Lenient for Suspected Organized Crime Figure
federal judge rejected a plea deal Monday for a man accused of helping run illegal high-stakes poker games at former NBA star mansion in Encino.
A federal judge rejected a plea deal for Woodland Hills resident Yevgeni Gershman, accused of running illegal poker games at Gilbert Arenas' Encino home. Gershman will now face trial in November.
federal judge rejected a plea deal Monday for a man accused of helping run illegal high-stakes poker games at former NBA star mansion in Encino.
Yevgeni Gershman, 50, of Woodland Hills, had agreed to a prison sentence of no more than two years. He pleaded guilty in April to charges including conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, money laundering, weapons possession, and making false statements on immigration documents.
U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi ruled the proposed sentence too lenient during a hearing scheduled for sentencing in downtown Los Angeles. Gershman subsequently withdrew his guilty plea. He is now expected to stand trial in November alongside his co-defendants.
"A Los Angeles federal judge rejected a plea deal Monday as too lenient for a suspected organized crime figure from Israel accused of helping to run high-stakes illegal poker games at former NBA star Gilbert Arenas’ mansion in Encino."
— Daily News
According to the federal indictment unsealed in July 2025, Gershman and other defendants operated an illegal gambling business from September 2021 to July 2022. The operation was centered at an Encino mansion owned by Arenas.
Arthur Kats, 52, of West Hollywood, allegedly staged the mansion at Arenas' direction. Kats reportedly found co-conspirators to host the games and collected rent from them on Arenas' behalf.
Gershman and other defendants allegedly managed "Pot Limit Omaha" poker games. They charged players a "rake," a fee taken from each pot either as a percentage or a fixed amount per hand.
The indictment alleges the operation included:
Prosecutors allege Gershman is a suspected member of an Israeli transnational organized crime group. He has criminal convictions in Israel, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Gershman faces additional charges related to immigration fraud. He and Valentina Cojocari, 35, of Woodland Hills, are accused of conspiring to commit marriage fraud. Prosecutors say the pair entered a sham marriage in early 2022 so Gershman could obtain permanent legal status in the United States.
Gershman allegedly lied on U.S. immigration forms. He answered "no" when asked if he had ever been detained by law enforcement. He also answered "no" when asked if he intended to engage in illegal gambling or other commercialized vice.
Gilbert Arenas, 44, is best known for his career with the Washington Wizards. He was nicknamed "Agent Zero" during his playing days. Arenas last played professionally in China in 2013.
Arenas faces charges of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, operating an illegal gambling business, and making false statements to federal investigators. He is scheduled to go to trial in November 2026.
Arenas has a prior criminal record. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a license. The charge stemmed from a 2009 armed confrontation with teammate Javaris Crittenton in the Wizards locker room.
Gershman's withdrawn plea means the case will proceed to trial. Judge Scarsi's rejection of the deal signals that prosecutors may seek harsher sentences for the defendants involved.
The case is being investigated by:
Assistant United States Attorney Samuel J. Diaz is prosecuting the case. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan J. Waters is handling asset forfeiture matters.
If convicted, defendants face a statutory maximum of five years in federal prison for each count.
This article was generated with AI assistance.